New Jersey Meteorite May Hold Clues to Life’s Origins

A meteorite weighing over one kilogram crashed through the roof of a house in Hillsborough, New Jersey on July 16, 2024, and scientists believe it could provide insights into the origins of life on Earth. An international team published research in Science Advances suggesting the meteorite originated from an asteroid containing liquid saltwater. This unique composition may reveal how organic molecules formed in the early solar system.

The homeowner quickly collected the fragments, preserving them in airtight containers which ensured a remarkably pure sample. Analysis revealed the meteorite, classified as CM1/2, contains both amino acids and organic compounds formed through chemical reactions with minerals within the rock. While similar meteorites usually originate from asteroids unaffected by water, this sample shows evidence of a watery parent asteroid.

Researchers are now comparing the salts found in the Hillsborough meteorite to samples collected from asteroids Bennu and Ryugu to further understand its origins and the role meteorites may have played in delivering the building blocks of life to early Earth. The fragments are now housed at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.