New Jersey meteorite crash reveals secrets of ancient solar system water

A meteorite that crashed through a New Jersey home two years ago is now offering scientists a rare glimpse into the ancient solar system. The object, weighing over a kilogram, impacted a bedroom ceiling in Hillsborough, New Jersey, on July 16, 2024, after a fiery descent visible across several northeastern U.S. states.

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We detected complex amino acids, the basic building blocks of proteins, through water extracts from the Hillsborough meteorite.

The meteorite's journey began with a spectacular fireball and sonic boom, observed by residents from New York to Pennsylvania. The space rock, described as large as a suitcase, entered Earth's atmosphere at approximately 51,500 kilometers per hour. It fragmented at an altitude of about 35.4 kilometers, with debris scattering across Staten Island and New Jersey.

Remarkably, only one fragment was recovered after it pierced the main bedroom ceiling of a home. The homeowner, taking precautions with gloves, collected the black, dusty rock using aluminum foil and glass jars. This swift action, according to Peter Jenniskens, a senior scientist at the SETI Institute and NASA's Ames Research Center, was crucial. "The homeowner's quick action to repair their roof before the rain fell that night was critical, given the meteorite's fragile and porous structure," Jenniskens, lead author of the study published in Science Advances, explained.

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Most of the amino acids found in this Hillsborough meteorite are rarely found or do not exist at all in life on Earth. Therefore, it is definitely from outer space.

Analysis revealed the meteorite to be a primitive type, offering a window into the solar system's early history. "We detected complex amino acids, the basic building blocks of proteins, through water extracts from the Hillsborough meteorite," said Dr. Danny Glavin of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. He added that most of these amino acids are rarely found or absent in terrestrial life, confirming their extraterrestrial origin and providing vital clues about the formation of the solar system.

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The homeowner's quick action to repair their roof before the rain fell that night was critical, given the meteorite's fragile and porous structure.