New Jersey meteorite yields clues to ancient water and life's origins

Researchers have uncovered significant details about the early solar system from a meteorite that impacted a New Jersey home two years ago. The analysis, published in Science Advances, offers new perspectives on ancient water and the chemical evolution of asteroids.

The fragment, weighing about two pounds, crashed into a Hillsborough, New Jersey, house on July 16, 2024, after entering Earth's atmosphere at high speed. Fortunately, no one was injured. The homeowners quickly collected the debris using disposable gloves and glass jars, a crucial step that preserved delicate minerals and organic compounds sensitive to terrestrial contamination.

Led by Peter Jenniskens of the SETI Institute and NASA's Ames Research Center, the team's study revealed microscopic fractures within the meteorite filled with sodium-rich materials. These materials are remnants of ancient brines, or saltwater. The identification of these sodium carbonate salts for the first time in this type of meteorite is a key finding. The fragment also contained a complex variety of amino acids and other organic compounds, suggesting that alteration processes involving saltwater were more widespread in the early solar system than previously understood.