Researchers at Nagoya University and the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics have determined how molten rock droplets formed in Jupiter's early days. Their study shows that chondrule characteristics are influenced by the water content of impacting planetesimals, providing a clearer picture of solar system formation.
SourceNagoya University·JournalScientific Reports·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateAug 25, 2025
A Kobe University study finds that carbon-containing meteorites appear less shocked because gases produced during impacts are ejected into space, revealing a new understanding of shock metamorphism. The team's guidelines for future missions also predict the accumulation of highly-shocked material on dwarf planet Ceres.
SourceKobe University·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 24, 2025
A team of researchers at the University of Oxford has found evidence in a rare type of meteorite that supports the theory that water on Earth is native, rather than originating from asteroids. The discovery suggests that the early Earth had sufficient hydrogen to form water molecules.
Researchers discover that asteroid Ryugu, a carbon-rich meteorite, shares a rare ingredient with material formed at the outer edge of the Solar System. The findings challenge previous ideas about the formation of asteroids and require a rethinking of the origin of the CI chondrites group.
SourceMax Planck Institute for Solar System Research·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 27, 2024
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The study found that Ryugu and CIs share a common genetic heritage, but the asteroid's Cr isotopes exhibit anomalies that could be caused by water-driven processes. These anomalies are thought to have arisen from the physicochemical fractionation of presolar nanoparticles and secondary minerals.
SourceTokyo Institute of Technology·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 9, 2023
Researchers found tiny salt crystals in an asteroid sample, indicating the presence of liquid water. The discovery challenges previous assumptions that ordinary chondrite asteroids lack hydrated minerals.
SourceUniversity of Arizona·JournalNature Astronomy·TypeImaging analysis·DateJun 13, 2023
Scientists conducted computational simulations to clarify the origin of life on Earth. The study suggests that chiral asymmetry may have originated in space through CP Lyman-α emission line, influencing the production of biological amino acids.
SourceUniversity of Tsukuba·JournalThe Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters·DateMay 25, 2023
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A new study led by University of Maryland researchers found that melted meteorites have extremely low water content, ruling them out as the primary source of Earth's water. The team suggests that unmelted, or chondritic, meteorites may be responsible for delivering water to our planet.
SourceUniversity of Maryland·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 15, 2023
Researchers have discovered that primitive meteorites contain a different mix of potassium isotopes than those found in other, more-chemically processed meteorites. This suggests that the Solar System was formed from a 'poorly mixed cake batter' of materials, with some planets receiving a unique blend of elements from distant sources.
SourceCarnegie Institution for Science·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 26, 2023
Researchers recreated interstellar cloud and asteroid conditions to understand how carbonaceous chondrites acquired amino acids, finding that interstellar cloud conditions are resilient to asteroid processing but influence the amount of amino acids present.
SourceSouthwest Research Institute·JournalACS Earth and Space Chemistry·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 11, 2023
New research on asteroid samples from Ryugu reveals similarities to Ivuna-like carbonaceous chondrites, providing a better understanding of the early solar system. The study also sheds light on the accretion of volatiles during planetary formation and finds that Ryugu-like material accounts for ~5-6% of Earth's mass.
SourceInstitut de physique du globe de Paris·JournalNature Astronomy·DateDec 12, 2022
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Researchers from Osaka University have successfully detected carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen in samples from near-Earth asteroid Ryugu using muon non-destructive analysis. The findings suggest that CI chondrites may be contaminated with terrestrial materials, challenging previous understanding of the solar system's chemical compositions.
SourceOsaka University·JournalScience·TypeObservational study·DateNov 13, 2022
Researchers have identified a potential source of shock-darkened meteorites, which could explain discrepancies in how near-Earth asteroids are classified. The asteroid, 1998 OR2, is about 1.5 miles wide and shows characteristics that suggest it has undergone shock darkening.
SourceUniversity of Arizona·JournalThe Planetary Science Journal·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateOct 4, 2022
A team of researchers found that the building blocks of Earth and Mars originated primarily from the inner Solar System, contradicting a popular theory. The study analyzed the isotopic composition of rocky planets and meteorites, revealing that only about 4% of the material came from beyond Jupiter's orbit.
SourceUniversity of Münster·JournalScience Advances·DateDec 22, 2021
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New research from the University of Arizona suggests that asteroid 16 Psyche may not be as dense or metallic as previously predicted. The findings propose an alternative origin story where 16 Psyche is composed of 82.5% metal, 7% low-iron pyroxene, and 10.5% carbonaceous chondrite.
SourceUniversity of Arizona·JournalThe Planetary Science Journal·DateJun 9, 2021
The Skoltech team used ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry to study the molecular composition of carbonaceous chondrites from Murchison and Allende meteorites. They discovered a wide diversity of chemical compounds and unexpected similarities between meteorites from different groups.
SourceSkolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech)·JournalScientific Reports·DateApr 5, 2021
Researchers found that enstatite chondrite meteorites contain sufficient hydrogen to deliver at least three times the amount of water in the Earth's oceans and probably much more. These rare meteorites, composed of material from the inner solar system, are believed to be the building blocks of the planet.
SourceWashington University in St. Louis·JournalScience·DateAug 27, 2020
Researchers found evidence of internal melting and differentiation in a carbonaceous meteorite, suggesting that primitive bodies started forming core, mantle, and crust structures. The study connects this process to highly differentiated iron meteorites through isotopic signatures.
SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 30, 2020
Researchers found ribose and other biologically important sugars in meteorites, hinting at prebiotic origins on Earth. The discovery implies that sugars could have formed in space and been delivered to our planet, contributing to the emergence of life.
SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateNov 18, 2019
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DJI Air 3 (RC-N2) captures 4K mapping passes and environmental surveys with dual cameras, long flight time, and omnidirectional obstacle sensing.
Images taken by Hayabusa2's lander on Ryugu's surface show rocks bearing similarities to primitive meteorites called carbonaceous chondrites, supporting theories that the asteroid formed during a cataclysmic event. The findings also reveal an unusual lack of fine particles or dust on the surface.
SourceAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)·JournalScience·DateAug 22, 2019
A comet fragment has been found inside a carbonaceous chondrite meteorite, La-Paz 02342, revealing unique properties of the cometary dust speck. The discovery provides insight into the formation of primitive materials and their preservation in meteorites, shedding light on the solar system's origins.
SourceSpanish National Research Council (CSIC)·JournalNature Astronomy·DateApr 15, 2019
The Hayabusa2 mission has provided new insights into the composition and origin of the Ryugu asteroid, revealing it to be a porous 'rubble pile' with a highly porous interior and low density. The asteroid's surface is also characterized by hydrated minerals, which are ubiquitous across its dark surface.
SourceAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)·JournalScience·DateMar 19, 2019
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Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope combines portable Schmidt-Cassegrain optics with GoTo pointing for outreach nights and field campaigns.
A Southwest Research Institute-led team discovered evidence of abundant water-bearing minerals on the surface of asteroid Bennu using OSIRIS-REx spectral data. The findings are consistent with meteorites found on Earth and provide clues to the distribution and abundance of water in the early solar system.
SourceSouthwest Research Institute·JournalNature Astronomy·DateMar 19, 2019
A study led by CSIC reveals that carbonaceous chondrites transported hydrated minerals and organic material from the protoplanetary disk to Earth, enriching its water supply. The findings provide valuable insights into the accretion phases of early planetary bodies and the origin of water on our planet.
SourceSpanish National Research Council (CSIC)·JournalSpace Science Reviews·DateFeb 14, 2019
Researchers have visualized meteorite components at unprecedented resolution using atomic force microscopy-based infrared spectroscopy. This breakthrough enables the analysis of organic matter distributions and associations with minerals in carbonaceous chondrites, crucial for understanding the formation of life and Solar System history.
SourceYokohama National University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 7, 2019
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Japanese researchers from Osaka University analyzed Hayabusa particles to determine the age of asteroid Itokawa, finding it formed 4.6 billion years ago and was destroyed 1.5 billion years later. The study used precise isotope analyses to clarify the chronology of the asteroid's evolution.
SourceOsaka University·JournalScientific Reports·DateAug 27, 2018
A new study suggests that organic materials found in ancient meteorites formed through basic chemical reactions during the Solar System's infancy. The research provides insights into the potential habitability of other planetary systems.
SourceUniversity of Manchester·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateAug 6, 2018
Experiments suggest a significant amount of zinc in the Earth's core, contradicting previous theories. This implies a revised formation process and potential changes to the estimated Earth composition, including its core.
A Spanish-Italian team has discovered that carbonaceous chondrites can synthesise complex organic compounds in the presence of water and formamide. This suggests that these meteorites played a vital role in the origins of life in the universe.
SourceSpanish National Research Council (CSIC)·JournalScientific Reports·DateDec 14, 2016
Scientists have found that Jupiter's massive gravity may have formed rare, high-velocity meteorites called CB chondrites. These meteorites suggest Jupiter was near its current size and in the asteroid belt when they were formed, about 5 million years after the solar system solidified.
SourceBrown University·JournalScience Advances·DateDec 9, 2016
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Researchers found that water on the moon and Earth came from small meteorites called carbonaceous chondrites in the first 100 million years after the solar system formed. The ratio of deuterium to hydrogen in the moon's water matches that found in chondrites, suggesting a common source.
SourceCase Western Reserve University·JournalScience·DateMay 9, 2013
A new study on the Sutter's Mill meteorite suggests that asteroid surfaces are more complex than previously thought, with a diverse mixture of rocks and minerals. The research, published in Science, used advanced imaging techniques to analyze the meteorite's mineralogy and structure, revealing unexpected diversity and complexity.
SourceAmerican Museum of Natural History·JournalScience·DateDec 20, 2012
A team of scientists led by Conel Alexander has found that carbonaceous chondrites, a type of primitive meteorite, are more likely to be the source of Earth's water than comets. This discovery contradicts prevailing theories and provides new constraints for understanding the origin of volatiles in the inner Solar System.
SourceCarnegie Institution for Science·JournalScience·DateJul 12, 2012
Scientists have discovered nucleobases, building blocks of genetic material, in meteorites that suggest an extraterrestrial origin. The findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, indicate that certain meteorites brought these compounds to Earth, providing a possible source for life.
SourceCarnegie Institution for Science·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateAug 8, 2011
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Researchers studied four Tagish Lake meteorites, finding large concentrations of essential biochemistry components like monocarboxylic acids and amino acids. The findings suggest that hydrothermal activity played a crucial role in shaping the chemical diversity of these samples.
SourceCarnegie Institution for Science·JournalScience·DateJun 9, 2011
Researchers at UC Davis have determined the earliest stage of planet formation occurred approximately 4,568 million years ago. This finding provides new insights into the timing and physics of this critical process, shedding light on how mountain-sized chunks of rock coalesced from interstellar dust.
SourceUniversity of California - Davis·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·DateDec 19, 2007
Researchers analyzed 29 chunks of enstatite chondrite meteorites, which formed billions of years ago and are believed to hold clues about the early Earth's conditions. The study found that these rocks likely formed at lower temperatures than previously thought, shedding light on the planet's distant past.
SourcePurdue University·JournalEnvironmental Chemistry·DateSep 28, 2005
Researchers used chondrites to calculate early Earth's atmosphere, finding a reducing atmosphere with methane and ammonia. This contradicts the Miller-Urey experiment, which relied on an oxidizing atmosphere.
SourceWashington University in St. Louis·DateSep 7, 2005
Researchers found a spherical object in the Khohar chondrite containing fine-grained metal aggregate and graphite. The graphite exhibits large D and 15N excesses, suggesting an interstellar origin, and is abundant with coexisting metal particles. These findings provide evidence of interstellar graphite in meteorites.
SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalScience·DateMay 29, 1998
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