Imagine a rock crashing through your roof — and it turns out to be older than Earth itself.
That’s exactly what happened in McDonough, Georgia, when a meteorite blazing across the sky exploded in broad daylight on June 26.
Scientists at the University of Georgia got their hands on fragments from the meteorite.
They discovered something incredible: this space rock is about 4.56 billion years old.
It is roughly 20 million years older than our planet.
Residents across Georgia and nearby states saw the fireball streaking overhead and heard a booming noise.
One man’s roof took a direct hit from a piece still hurtling at about 1 km per second.
The rock is classified as a chondrite — the most common type of stony meteorite — confirming its ancient origins.
What’s The History?
“This meteor has a long history before landing in McDonough,” said Scott Harris, a geologist who’s been studying the fragments.
He notes that finding meteorites used to be a once-in-decades event.
But thanks to modern tech and watchful eyes, these cosmic visitors are turning up more frequently.
Why does this matter?Harris hopes that by understanding these space rocks — their speed and makeup — we might better prepare.
For the day a larger, more dangerous one comes knocking.
After all, when it comes to space, you never know what’s heading your way next.
