The meteorite NWA 13188 appears to have made a round trip to space
Albert Jambon
A meteorite discovered in the Sahara desert in Morocco might have originated from Earth, undergone an ejection into space, and eventually returned to our planet’s surface thousands of years later. This unique space rock, if confirmed, would be the first of its kind.
The majority of the meteorites we find come from asteroids. However, a small fraction is believed to come from other planetary bodies, such as Mars and the moon. These meteorites are thought to be the result of powerful impacts that propel debris into space before it eventually falls to Earth.
Article amended on 18 July 2023
We have corrected the elements produced in asteroids by cosmic rays
