Meteorite in Georgia older than Earth

A scientist confirms fragments from a Georgia meteorite that punched through a roof are 4.56 billion years old, older than Earth.

Georgia meteorite older than Earth confirmed by scientist

A meteorite punched through a Georgia homeowner’s roof after a daylight fireball on June 26. Scientists say fragments weighing about 23 grams came from a piece the size of a cherry tomato that struck the house near Atlanta and dented the floor.

University of Georgia planetary geologist Scott Harris says the meteorite formed 4.56 billion years ago, roughly 20 million years older than the Earth. He notes the rock likely belongs to a group of asteroids in the main belt between Mars and Jupiter, tied to a breakup of a larger body about 470 million years ago. The researchers plan to submit their findings to the Meteoritical Society and may name the rock the McDonough Meteorite.

The find shows how a single fragment can unlock a long history of the solar system. The framing that the rock is older than Earth invites the public to see deep time in a local event, linking a Georgia roof to the birth of planets.

Science moves step by step. Field work, lab tests, and formal naming conventions turn evidence into data, and local stories into international science.

Highlights

The cosmos keeps reaching into daily life, one local story at a time.