Latest news with #McDonoughMeteorite
India Today
6 days ago
- Science
- India Today
Space rock that crashed on American house is older than Earth
A meteor from deep space that crashed over a house in Georgia has been officially named, and confirmed to be older than our McDonough Meteorite, which blazed across the Southeast US on June 26 before punching a hole in a Georgia home, has now been identified and given a permanent place in scientific history, thanks to researchers at the University of Georgia (UGA).advertisementThe meteor's dramatic arrival began when a brilliant daylight fireball streaked across the Atlanta sky, captivating witnesses across multiple states. In Henry County's McDonough neighbourhood, fragments of the rock tore through a homeowner's roof, HVAC duct, and floor, leaving behind a loud blast and vibrations 'like a close-range gunshot,' explained Scott Harris, UGA planetary geologist and impact expert. The resident has since discovered tiny specks of space dust scattered in his living room, remnants of the celestial collision. UGA received 23 grams of the 50 grams recovered from the house. Under optical and electron microscopes, Harris identified it as a Low Metal (L) ordinary chondrite, a type of meteorite formed 4.56 billion years ago, predating the formation of space rock likely originated in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter and can be traced to the breakup of a much larger asteroid around 470 million years ago.'This meteor has a long history before making it to McDonough,' Harris said. 'If given long enough, some asteroid fragments eventually intersect Earth's orbit, and that's what happened here.'While the meteoroid was travelling at cosmic speeds upon entering the atmosphere, Earth's air slowed it down considerably. Still, a rock 'double the size of a .50-caliber bullet,' travelling at over 1 kilometre per second, has tremendous force — enough to pierce a roof and leave floor dents while pulverizing part of itself into notes that while this meteor was small, it offers useful insights into how our planet might fare against much larger incoming findings on the McDonough Meteorite will be submitted to the Nomenclature Committee of the Meteoritical Society, and once approved, its name and classification will be published in the Meteoritical Bulletin. For now, the ancient stone is both a scientific treasure and a cosmic reminder that the universe is still sending pieces of its distant past crashing down to Earth.- Ends
USA Today
7 days ago
- Science
- USA Today
A meteorite crashes into a Georgia home. Turns out it's older than Earth.
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Nope! According to experts, it's a meteorite older than Earth. A meteorite "crash landed" in Georgia on June 26. Particles that tore through the roof of a home in Henry County, Georgia, 31 miles southeast of Atlanta, were donated to a planetary geologist at the University of Georgia (UGA) to figure out where it came from and its classification, according to an Aug. 8 press release published by the university. 'This particular meteor that entered the atmosphere has a long history before it made it to the ground of McDonough, and in order to totally understand that, we actually have to examine what the rock is and determine what group of asteroids it belongs to,' Scott Harris, a researcher in the UGA Franklin College of Arts and Sciences' department of geology, said in a statement. The meteorite, the 27th one recovered from Georgia, was named the McDonough Meteorite after the area in which it landed, according to UGA. All meteorites get their names from the zip code they were found in. How old is the meteorite? The meteorite is believed to be 4.56 billion years old, UGA stated. By comparison, the Earth is only 4.54 billion years old, according to the Planetary Society. More news: Farmers' Almanac winter forecast for 2025-2026: A long season of cold, snow across US What happened? In June, people across Georgia watched as a fireball, a very bright meteor, broke apart in the sky. But that's not where its journey ended, according to UGA. A piece of that fireball forced its way into a Georgia home. It fell fast enough to tear through the homeowner's roof, ductwork, and ceiling before it finally crash-landed, denting the floor of the house. Fireball was seen beyond Georgia Georgia was not the only state that saw the fireball on June 26. The American Meteor Society received 241 reports across several states, including Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The rock was around three feet in diameter and weighed more than a ton. The National Weather Service in Peachtree City, Georgia, also received reports of what felt like earthquakes, but was most likely sonic booms, a quick, thunder-like sound that is created when aircraft, like rockets and planes, go faster than the speed of sound. Where is the meteorite now? UGA was given 23 of the 50 grams recovered from the home, according to the press release. Harris analyzed the fragments and believes that the meteor is a "Low Metal (L) ordinary Chondrite," according to the press release. 'It belongs to a group of asteroids in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter that we now think we can tie to a breakup of a much larger asteroid about 470 million years ago,' Harris said. 'But in that breakup, some pieces get into Earth-crossing orbits, and if given long enough, their orbit around the sun and Earth's orbit around the sun end up being at the same place, at the same moment in time.' Given the classification, Harris expects that the meteorite was formed in the presence of oxygen all those billions of years ago. The meteorite will be stored at UGA so it can be studied further, but additional pieces that also fell in the area will be on display at the Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville, Georgia, around 43 miles northwest of Atlanta. Contributing: Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY NETWORK; Joel Shannon, USA TODAY Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@
Indianapolis Star
7 days ago
- Science
- Indianapolis Star
A meteorite crashes into a Georgia home. Turns out it's older than Earth.
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Nope! According to experts, it's a meteorite older than Earth. A meteorite "crash landed" in Georgia on June 26. Particles that tore through the roof of a home in Henry County, Georgia, 31 miles southeast of Atlanta, were donated to a planetary geologist at the University of Georgia (UGA) to figure out where it came from and its classification, according to an Aug. 8 press release published by the university. 'This particular meteor that entered the atmosphere has a long history before it made it to the ground of McDonough, and in order to totally understand that, we actually have to examine what the rock is and determine what group of asteroids it belongs to,' Scott Harris, a researcher in the UGA Franklin College of Arts and Sciences' department of geology, said in a statement. The meteorite, the 27th one recovered from Georgia, was named the McDonough Meteorite after the area in which it landed, according to UGA. All meteorites get their names from the zip code they were found in. The meteorite is believed to be 4.56 billion years old, UGA stated. By comparison, the Earth is only 4.54 billion years old, according to the Planetary Society. More news: Farmers' Almanac winter forecast for 2025-2026: A long season of cold, snow across US In June, people across Georgia watched as a fireball, a very bright meteor, broke apart in the sky. But that's not where its journey ended, according to UGA. A piece of that fireball forced its way into a Georgia home. It fell fast enough to tear through the homeowner's roof, ductwork, and ceiling before it finally crash-landed, denting the floor of the house. Georgia was not the only state that saw the fireball on June 26. The American Meteor Society received 241 reports across several states, including Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The rock was around three feet in diameter and weighed more than a ton. The National Weather Service in Peachtree City, Georgia, also received reports of what felt like earthquakes, but was most likely sonic booms, a quick, thunder-like sound that is created when aircraft, like rockets and planes, go faster than the speed of sound. UGA was given 23 of the 50 grams recovered from the home, according to the press release. Harris analyzed the fragments and believes that the meteor is a "Low Metal (L) ordinary Chondrite," according to the press release. 'It belongs to a group of asteroids in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter that we now think we can tie to a breakup of a much larger asteroid about 470 million years ago,' Harris said. 'But in that breakup, some pieces get into Earth-crossing orbits, and if given long enough, their orbit around the sun and Earth's orbit around the sun end up being at the same place, at the same moment in time.' Given the classification, Harris expects that the meteorite was formed in the presence of oxygen all those billions of years ago. The meteorite will be stored at UGA so it can be studied further, but additional pieces that also fell in the area will be on display at the Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville, Georgia, around 43 miles northwest of Atlanta. Contributing: Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY NETWORK; Joel Shannon, USA TODAY
Daily Mail
11-08-2025
- Science
- Daily Mail
Meteorite tears through US home
Published: | Updated: A meteorite that tore through a Georgia home has revealed a stunning secret: it is older than the Earth itself. The space rock blazed across the sky in broad daylight on June 26, sparking hundreds of reports from witnesses across Georgia and South Carolina. The meteorite, now known as the 'McDonough Meteorite,' exploded with a loud boom, shaking the ground and capturing the attention of residents. Researchers at the University of Georgia examined 23 grams of a meteorite fragment that smashed through a Georgia man's home. It went through the roof, HVAC duct, and left a hole in the floor the size of a cherry tomato. Planetary geologist Scott Harris concluded the space rock formed 4.56 billion years ago, roughly 20 million years before Earth. 'It belongs to a group of asteroids in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter that we now think we can tie to a breakup of a much larger asteroid about 470 million years ago,' Harris said. The homeowner said he continues to find specks of space dust scattered around his living room from the impact. Before breaking into fragments small enough to analyze, the meteor, known as a bolide, was recorded entering Earth's atmosphere at an incredible cosmic velocity. This massive space rock hurtled toward McDonough at speeds exceeding the speed of sound. 'When they encounter Earth, our atmosphere is very good at slowing them down,' Harris said. 'But you're talking about something that is double the size of a 50-caliber shell, going at least 2,236 miles per second. That's like running 10 football fields in one second.' Using optical and electron microscopy to examine the fragments, Harris identified the meteorite as a Low Metal (L) ordinary Chondrite. This classification indicates the meteorite likely formed 4.56 billion years ago in an oxygen-rich environment. This is the 27th meteorite recovered in Georgia in history, and the sixth witnessed fall. Harris said the fragment broke the sound barrier when it entered the Earth's atmosphere. 'This is something that used to be expected once every few decades and not multiple times within 20 years,' Harris said. 'Modern technology, in addition to an attentive public, is going to help us recover more and more meteorites.' Harris explained that although a fragment this small posed no danger, scientists study meteorite impacts to better understand their dynamics. 'The ultimate goal is to assess the risks and prepare for potential threats that could cause catastrophic damage,' he added. Panic broke out across parts of the US when the fireball was spotted falling from the sky. Police scanner audio in Spartanburg, South Carolina captured a call from a woman who reported a 'giant ball of fire' falling from the sky, a sight echoed by witnesses from Tennessee to Georgia. 'I'm not crazy! I just saw a huge ball of fire fall from the sky in East Tennessee around the Cherokee National Forest!' a firefighter wrote on X. 'Anyone else see it? Right around 12:20pm ET. Very cool but a little unnerving given the current times!' While some speculated it could have been a falling aircraft, the firefighter described it as 'like a mini sun falling with a tail of fire.' In Georgia, one resident said they not only saw the object, but heard it pass overhead and felt the ground shake when it hit. The National Weather Service confirmed the many reports across the Southeast US saying: 'It is not certain, but the satellite-based lightning detection shows a streak within cloud-free sky over the NC/VA border, over Gasbury, VA. This streak was detected between 12:51 to 12:56 pm.' Hundreds of reports of a possible fireball were submitted to the American Meteor Society website from Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee, which are still pending. 'This was the middle of the day, and it just came out of nowhere,' according to one fireball report on the American Meteor Society from Perry, Georgia. A report submitted by Ashley R from Suwanee, Georgia read: 'I thought it was a missile.' Brian S from Alpharetta, Georgia said: 'It was full daylight, no clouds, and still it was very bright. I heard a muffled and slight boom sound, maybe 30 seconds later, but that could be unrelated.' He added that he saw a 'smoke trail that quickly fell apart.' Marc Tozer of Georgia shared on Facebook: 'Stone Mountain here and it made a booming sound, house shook with a long rumble. Dogs went crazy.' Another Georgia local posted: 'House totally rumbled, sounded like a log rolling off the roof, thought nukes were coming...' WRDW, an Atlanta news source, reported that black smoke was seen south of I-20, although it may be from a controlled burn, first responders said.
See - Sada Elbalad
11-08-2025
- Entertainment
- See - Sada Elbalad
Meteorite Older Than Earth Crashes Into Home in Georgia
Rana Atef A meteorite estimated to be 4.56 billion years old, older than Earth itself, crashed into the roof of a home in McDonough, Georgia, on June 26, missing the resident by just 14 feet. The space rock, part of a meteor seen blazing across southern US skies that day, punched through the roof, ductwork, and ceiling before denting the laminate floor. Scott Harris, a planetary geologist at the University of Georgia, analyzed 23 grams of fragments from the object, which likely originated in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Harris said the impact created a sound and vibration similar to a close-range gunshot. The homeowner, who escaped unharmed, is still finding specks of space dust in his living room. The 'McDonough Meteorite' is the 27th recovered in Georgia and the closest call for a human since 1954, when a meteorite struck a woman in Alabama. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid Videos & Features Story behind Trending Jessica Radcliffe Death Video News Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters Arts & Culture "Jurassic World Rebirth" Gets Streaming Date News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia Business Egyptian Pound Undervalued by 30%, Says Goldman Sachs Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Arts & Culture South Korean Actress Kang Seo-ha Dies at 31 after Cancer Battle Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Arts & Culture Lebanese Media: Fayrouz Collapses after Death of Ziad Rahbani
