RARE FIND

One of the Biggest Meteorites on Record Discovered in Antarctica

Further analysis of the cantaloupe-sized space rock will reveal more about the makeup and evolution of our universe, researchers say.

An Antarctic expedition earlier this month uncovered an otherworldly bounty: five new meteorites, with one of them smashing expectations. The 16.7-pound space rock was discovered in a prime rock-hunting location on the Earth’s southern-most landmass. Out of some 45,000 meteorites discovered in the remote region, this cantaloupe-sized anomaly is just one of a mere 100 to hit that weight benchmark, though researchers believe there are at least 300,000 more sitting atop the ice. “Size doesn’t necessarily matter when it comes to meteorites, and even tiny micrometeorites can be incredibly scientifically valuable,” said Maria Valdes, a research scientist at Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History, as reported by PhysOrg. While the relatively small objects don’t discriminate in where they land on the planet, a disproportionate number of the black stones have been discovered in Antarctica thanks to the continent’s flat, white backdrop. The specimen is headed to the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences in Brussels, where researchers will examine its chemical composition to learn more about the evolution and makeup of the universe.