Pristine Meteorite Reveals Ancient Asteroid Chemistry

On July 16, 2024, a meteorite landed in New Jersey and was quickly recovered by an amateur astronomer, allowing NASA scientists to study a remarkably preserved sample of asteroid material. The rapid recovery protected delicate minerals and organic compounds from contamination, offering a unique opportunity to analyze the meteorite’s origins and chemical composition.

Researchers determined the meteorite, named Hillsborough, originated from the Erigone asteroid family and once contained salty water that altered its minerals. The team found unusually high concentrations of sodium and microscopic fractures filled with ancient brine, similar to samples returned from asteroids Bennu and Ryugu.

This suggests salt-rich brines were more common on primitive asteroids than previously thought. The Hillsborough meteorite also contains a diverse array of amino acids and other organic compounds, comparable to the famous Murchison meteorite, bolstering the theory that these building blocks of life could have been delivered to Earth by asteroids. Scientists will continue to study Hillsborough to further understand the evolution of asteroids and the distribution of water, and potentially life, in the early solar system.