Scientists Trace 70% of Meteorites to 470 Million-Year-Old Asteroid Belt Collisions

Oct 17, 2024, 12:27 PM

Scientists have traced the origins of most meteorites that strike Earth to a few significant collisions within the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. According to two new studies, these meteorites, which are messengers from deep time and tell the story of the solar system's creation, primarily originate from three major bodies that shattered to form families of asteroids. These findings suggest that the most common types of meteorites, including ordinary chondrites which make up around 80% of meteorites, come from these relatively recent breakup events, with a particularly cataclysmic impact event around 470 million years ago. It is estimated that 70 percent of meteorites that hit Earth share this common origin.