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‘Alien Chemistry’ Found in Meteorite That Crashed Into Home

The Hillsborough meteorite hit a New Jersey home in 2024.

A meteorite that crashed into a New Jersey home is being studied by scientists for molecules crucial to life. The Hillsborough meteor fell to Earth in 2024 at 32,000 miles per hour, with a two-pound chunk crashing through the roof of the home. “I was at home at the time, heard a loud crash, and found a hole in the ceiling of the master bedroom,” the owner said. He collected pieces of the meteorite and preserved them in a glass jar for scientific study. Almost two years after the crash, scientists exploring the meteorite are assessing the possibility that asteroids brought materials necessary for the origin of life to Earth. “A forensic study of the fragments revealed that they contained preserved bits from near the surface of a primitive asteroid where it experienced concentrated salty fluids—a process not previously known from this type of proto planet world,” said Peter Jenniskens, author and meteor astronomer of the SETI Institute and NASA’s Ames Research Center.