Articles tagged with Meteorites
Scientists suggest that life began on Earth when meteorites splashed down and leached essential elements into warm little ponds. The 'warm little ponds' concept has been proven plausible through extensive research and calculations.
Scientists at the University of York discovered that amino nitriles in interstellar ice can trigger the formation of DNA's backbone molecule, 2-deoxy-D-ribose. This research throws doubt on the theory that amino acids formed before DNA.
Researchers have solved a long-standing riddle in the analysis of meteorites from Moon and Mars using high-pressure experiments at DESY's X-ray light source PETRA III. The study reveals that cristobalite can transform into seifertite under non-hydrostatic conditions, challenging previous assessments of meteorite formation conditions.
Scientists have developed a new technique to date ancient meteorite strikes using tiny crystal fragments. By analyzing the atomic nanostructure of these crystals, researchers can determine the age of impact and gain insight into the beginnings of life on Earth.
Researchers estimated the solar nebula's lifetime using ancient meteorites, finding it lasted around 3 to 4 million years. This discovery suggests gas giants Jupiter and Saturn formed within the first 4 million years of the solar system's formation.
The team estimated the solar nebula's lifetime using ancient meteorites that formed 4.653 billion years ago, suggesting it disappeared within the first 4 million years of the solar system's formation. The findings indicate that gas giants Jupiter and Saturn must have formed early in the solar system's history.
Researchers solved a long-standing puzzle about the source of key stardust grains, which formed before our Solar System and can be recovered from meteorites. The study identifies Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars as the producers of these grains, shedding light on nuclear processes inside stars that led to their formation.
Researchers discovered the asteroid break-up occurred 2.5 million years before the rise in marine biodiversity, debunking the myth of a connection between the two events.
Researchers discovered minerals from 43 ancient meteorites, including rare and unknown types. This finding suggests a dramatically different solar system history, requiring a revision of current understanding. The study's results confirm a hypothesis presented last summer and show that the solar system is not stable over time.
A new study published in Nature Communications presents evidence suggesting that a low-mass supernova played a crucial role in the formation of our solar system. The research team analyzed short-lived radioactive nuclei found in meteorites and discovered unique 'fingerprints' that point to a low-mass supernova as the trigger.
A team led by Professor Yong-Zhong Qian uses new models and meteorite evidence to show a low-mass supernova triggered the formation of our solar system. The study found that short-lived nuclei in meteorites are consistent with a low-mass supernova trigger, supporting the theory that this event played a key role in solar system formation.
Researchers propose deep underground rocks excavated by meteorite blasts as a promising place to find organic compounds indicative of past or present life on Mars. However, they found that some types of organic compounds are destroyed by impact pressures, while others undergo chemical changes but remain resistant.
Researchers used electron backscatter diffraction to unravel the transformations involved in creating granular zircon. The results show that making granular zircon first involves forming twins and transforming into reidite under extreme pressure and temperature conditions.
Researchers have discovered a new type of meteorite called Ost 65, which appears to be from the missing partner in a massive asteroid collision 470 million years ago. The discovery provides insights into the history of our solar system and may shed light on the evolution of life on Earth.
Dinosaurs were already experiencing an evolutionary decline, with many species going extinct faster than new ones emerged. This suggests that the asteroid impact may not have been the sole cause of their extinction.
Scientists have found evidence of curium in a rare meteorite sample called 'Curious Marie', dating back to the solar system's formation. The discovery resolves a 35-year-old debate and helps reassess models of stellar evolution and element synthesis.
A NASA team analyzed seven Apollo samples and found amino acids at low concentrations, likely from terrestrial sources. Isotopic analysis and molecular orientation revealed a stronger connection to Earth than previously thought, ruling out the solar wind and lunar module exhaust as sources.
Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have discovered a way to create linear chains of carbon atoms, called carbyne, through laser-melting graphite. This material has potential applications in nanoelectronic devices and superhard materials, as well as tunable semiconductors and hydrogen storage.
The newly discovered Pentecopterus was found in a 5km meteorite crater, providing insights into the evolution of eurypterids. The species, lived 467 million years ago, has well-preserved fossils that show its diverse developmental stages.
A new study by Tohoku University researchers found that meteorite impacts can create nucleobases and amino acids, essential components of life. The team's hypervelocity impact experiments revealed the formation of two types of nucleobases and nine proteinogenic amino acids.
Researchers create large-scale simulation of 275,000 atoms to study iron-nickel alloys' structure changes with temperature. They find that transitions occur in both orderly and disorderly ways, depending on heating or cooling, respectively.
A new analysis of meteorite composition helps scientists work out when the Earth formed its layers, confirming the first crust had formed around 4.5 billion years ago. The team measured hafnium and lutetium in zircon crystals from a rare meteorite, which originated early in the solar system.
A team of researchers has refined the timeline of meteorite impacts on the moon by analyzing argon isotopes in Apollo 17 samples using laser microprobe technology. The study provides new insights into the lunar impact record and its implications for understanding Earth's early bombardment history.
A new study of the ALH84001 Martian meteorite provides valuable insights into Mars' early climate and potential habitability. The analysis suggests that smaller seas existed on Mars billions of years ago, rather than vast oceans.
Researchers have identified Bridgmanite, a high-density magnesium iron silicate mineral, as the most abundant mineral in Earth. The discovery was made possible by non-destructive micro-focused X-rays and novel fast-readout area-detector techniques, which allowed for the characterization of natural Bridgmanite for the first time.
New research from Arizona State University reveals that lonsdaleite is not a separate type of diamond but rather a structurally disordered form of ordinary diamond. The study found defects in the crystal structure caused by shock metamorphism, plastic deformation, or unequilibrated crystal growth.
A team of researchers has provided evidence that the early solar system's protoplanetary disk was shaped by an intense magnetic field, driving gas toward the sun at a rapid rate. The study analyzed a meteorite sample, extracting individual grains and measuring their magnetic orientations to determine the original magnetic field.
An eight-kilometre-wide crater was formed in southern Alberta, producing a massive explosion that destroyed present-day Calgary, according to researchers. The impact site, dated within the last 70 million years, had devastating consequences for life in the area, with global implications.
Researchers found complex oxygen-rich compounds and polyethers in the Sutter's Mill meteorite, expanding our understanding of extraterrestrial organic molecules. The discovery suggests a greater availability of these molecules for molecular evolution and life on Earth.
Researchers discovered reactive phosphorus in early Archean limestone, providing evidence that meteorites delivered phosphorus necessary for early life forms. The team found that meteorite phosphorus could generate phosphorus biomolecules identical to those seen in life today.
Scientists discover carbon spherules at multiple sites worldwide, indicating a massive comet or meteorite impact altered Earth's atmosphere. This event accelerated global warming and led to mass extinctions, including the demise of wooly mammoths.
A team of scientists, including a Michigan State University professor, has examined a nakhlite meteorite formed on Mars over a billion years ago. The study found mineral and chemical signatures indicating terrestrial weathering, which could provide valuable clues about Mars' habitability conditions.
Researchers found two tiny silica grains in primitive meteorites, with unusual isotopic signatures suggesting they originated from a single core-collapse supernova. This discovery provides clues to the complex nuclear and convective processes operating within stars, shedding new light on stellar evolution and the solar system's formation.
Scientists find that impacting small asteroids delivered dark, carbonaceous material to the protoplanet Vesta. The material, found in craters and meteorites, suggests a link between giant impact basins and the delivery of essential building blocks for organic molecules.
Researchers have discovered a jerky, non-smooth energy transfer from a meteorite or missile to sand and dirt grains during impact. The study shows that the sound wave and grains behave differently than previously assumed, with pulses moving along networks of grains, or force chains.
A University at Buffalo study examines maar craters, finding that their shape and ejecting distance are more accurate measures of an eruption's force. The findings could help scientists estimate the size of future volcano eruptions.
Researchers have revised the timeline of our solar system's formation using uranium and lead isotopes in primitive meteorites. The study reveals that chondrules formed during the first three million years, contrary to previous assumptions. This new understanding paints a more familiar picture of planetary system development.
New 3D models reveal that a supernova explosion likely triggered the formation of our Solar System, injecting polluted material into a cloud of dust and gas. The models show that only one or two fingers from the shock wave could have caused the pollution found in primitive meteorites.
Researchers analyzed meteorite fragments from Tagish Lake in Canada and found large left-hand excesses of aspartic acid, an amino acid used by life, while alanine showed a much smaller excess. The team suggests that liquid water inside asteroids may favor the production of left-handed proteinogenic amino acids.
A team of scientists has made new discoveries about ancient meteorites, which provide clues to the early Solar System's formation. The research, published in Nature Geoscience, reveals that certain elements were present during the formation of these rocks, suggesting a late accretion process occurred earlier than previously thought.
Researchers found panguite, a titanium oxide mineral, in the Allende meteorite, which is considered one of the best-studied meteorites in history. The discovery sheds new light on the formation and evolution of the solar system.
Researchers find methane source: intense UV radiation from meteorites releases methane from organic materials. Temperature affects methane production, with warmer regions having higher concentrations.
Lund University has received a total of SEK 40 million in funding for its geology and biology research. This includes SEK 25 million for Birger Schmitz's ERC-funded project Astrogeobiosphere, which explores the link between life on Earth and astronomical events.
Researchers will use a three-year, $1.38 million grant to study presolar grains in a sample of the Murchison meteorite. They aim to extract exceptionally large grains that came from supernovae, allowing them to make more comprehensive measurements and understand how elements were forged.
Researchers from Princeton University reject the prevailing theory that a single large meteorite caused the mass extinction event at the end of the Cretaceous period. Instead, they link the extinction to massive volcanic eruptions in western India known as the Deccan Traps, which were 3 times larger than France.
Researchers at Princeton University have developed a new model that simulates the seismic fallout of a giant meteorite strike, showing that the impact's effects are scattered and unfocused, resulting in less severe ground displacement and tsunamis. The model also provides new insights into the surface and interior details of other plan...
Researchers have discovered that meteorite impacts can produce rapid ground-hugging currents of gas and debris similar to pyroclastic density currents from explosive volcanoes. The study found that ash and dust particles stick together in a way identical to volcanic eruptions, leading to the formation of accretionary lapilli.
A new study provides clear evidence that many primitive bird species survived right up until the time of the Chicxulub meteorite impact. The team identified and dated a large collection of bird fossils representing various species, showing diversity in size, beak structure, and other features.
Researchers found adenine and guanine, key components of DNA, in meteorites, providing evidence they were created in space. The discovery supports the theory that a 'kit' of prebiotic material was delivered to Earth by meteorite impacts.
Researchers found opal-like crystals in a 2000 Canadian meteorite, suggesting conditions existed for their formation 4.6 billion years ago. The discovery implies magnetite colloidal crystals have promising potential as novel functional materials.
Researchers analyzed a pristine meteorite, finding that its organic compounds changed over time due to asteroid geology changes. Amino acids and monocarboxylic acids were present, essential for the evolution of first life forms on Earth.
Scientists discovered diverse amino acid amounts in Tagish Lake meteorites, suggesting water alteration played a role in their formation. The findings provide new insights into pre-biotic chemistry on asteroids and may impact our understanding of the origin of life on Earth.
Researchers found large amounts of ammonia in an asteroid, which could have provided a sustained source of reduced nitrogen essential for life. This discovery has significant implications for the origins-of-life theory and the potential for extraterrestrial life.
A team of researchers found excess left-handed isovaline in a wider range of carbon-rich meteorites, suggesting conditions on asteroids favored the creation of left-handed amino acids. Liquid water appears to be key to this process, and its amplification may have perpetuated a bias toward left-handed life.
Researchers expand study of 2008 TC3 meteorite, finding diverse oxygen isotopes that suggest the asteroid's source had a complex formation history. The discovery has significant implications for our understanding of the meteorite's origin and potential connections to other celestial bodies.
Scientists have found a much higher water content in the Moon's interior, with concentrations ranging from 64 parts per billion to 5 parts per million. The research suggests that water was preserved from the hot magma present when the Moon formed 4.5 billion years ago.
Scientists have ruled out meteorites as a source of methane on Mars, raising hopes that the gas might be generated by life on the red planet. Methane levels are replenished by an unknown source, with two plausible theories remaining: microorganisms producing methane as a by-product or reactions between volcanic rock and water.
A team of researchers has found a rare meteorite in the Western Australian desert and tracked its orbit using a new camera network. The meteorite is composed of basaltic igneous rock and is believed to have formed deep in the inner Solar System, providing clues about the origins of the Solar System.
A study suggests that large meteorite bombardments approximately four billion years ago could have helped to make the early Earth and Mars more habitable for life by releasing water and carbon dioxide into their atmospheres. This process may have created a warmer and wetter environment that was conducive to the emergence of life.
Researchers calibrated laboratory analyses of a meteorite with telescopic observations of its precursor asteroid, providing new insights into asteroid compositions and origins. The study identified the asteroid as a ureilite, potentially originating from the same parent body.