In the East Antarctic, a 7.6-kilogram meteorite has been discovered, and scientists are now analyzing its origin and composition. The area was specifically searched by an international research team, including the Field Museum, due to its potential as a meteorite hotspot. During their expedition in December 2022, the team lived in special tents in temperatures of minus ten degrees Celsius and searched the area by snowmobile and on foot. They discovered several potential meteorites, including one that weighed an unusually heavy 7.6 kilograms.
While the size of a meteorite typically does not matter in meteorite research, the discovery of such a large one is still exciting and rare. Of the approximately 45,000 meteorites discovered in Antarctica, only around 100 have been this size. In total, the team discovered six meteorites in the East Antarctic, which will be analyzed mineralogically, isotopically, and chemically at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences. The team also found sediment samples that could contain micrometeorites, which will be examined in the laboratories of the various research institutions involved in the expedition.
Studying meteorites helps us better understand our cosmic home, and the more we find and examine, the more insights we can gain about our solar system. The scientists hope that their discoveries will reveal new knowledge about the development and formation of meteorites and asteroids. Despite the excitement of the discovery, the reality of the expedition was much harsher and more challenging than the beautiful satellite images suggested.
