Ancient Meteorite Links Earth’s Water to Asteroids

In February 2021, a rare meteorite crashed into a driveway in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, offering a rare glimpse into the origins of Earth’s water. The meteorite, a 4.6-billion-year-old carbonaceous chondrite, was quickly recovered, allowing scientists to study its composition with minimal contamination. Researchers from the Natural History Museum and the University of Glasgow have now confirmed that the meteorite contained extraterrestrial water and amino acids, reinforcing theories about how essential ingredients for life arrived on Earth.

A Meteorite with Clues to Earth’s Oceans

The Winchcombe meteorite is a CM carbonaceous chondrite, a rare type of space rock containing organic compounds and water. Researchers found that the meteorite contained approximately 11% extraterrestrial water by weight, primarily locked within minerals formed through chemical reactions on its parent asteroid. The hydrogen isotope ratio in this water closely matches that of Earth’s oceans, providing direct evidence that Earth’s water was delivered by asteroids from the outer solar system.

Additionally, scientists discovered extraterrestrial amino acids in the meteorite—molecules essential for life. The presence of these prebiotic compounds further supports the idea that carbonaceous asteroids contributed to the formation of life on Earth. The study was published in Science Advances, highlighting the meteorite’s exceptional preservation and significance.