Rare carbonaceous chondrite that hit New Jersey home contains prebiotic molecules, scientists say

A meteorite that pierced the roof of a private residence in Hillsborough, New Jersey, on July 16, 2024, has been classified as a CM1/2 carbonaceous chondrite, a rare and primitive type of space rock, according to a study published in Science Advances. Researchers said the fragment preserved material from a small asteroid that once contained concentrated salty fluids, conditions that can foster the formation of molecules essential to life.

The homeowner reported hearing a crash, discovering a hole in the master bedroom ceiling, and finding black fragments and dust with a strong sulfur-like odor. Using disposable gloves, aluminum foil and glass jars, the resident collected the material, which scientists described as “the most pristine CM1/2 meteorites we know of.”

Laboratory analysis revealed a diverse suite of carbon-bearing compounds, including amino acids and other prebiotic molecules. The findings suggest that such meteorites may have contributed organic material to the early Earth, potentially influencing the development of life.

The rock, roughly the size of a heavy airline bag, entered Earth’s atmosphere at about 32,000 mph, generating a sonic boom reported across the New York-New Jersey region. Observers in several states reported the fireball, and cameras from the American Meteor Society and a private doorbell captured its trajectory. The meteor’s path was traced back to the inner asteroid belt, and Doppler radar detected a cloud of falling pebbles from Staten Island to New Jersey.

"Thanks to the homeowner's quick reaction, these are the most pristine CM1/2 meteorites we know of," said Mike Zolensky of NASA's Johnson Space Center.

"The path traced back to low in the asteroid belt," said Mike Hankey, operations manager at the American Meteor Society.