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Health & Science3h 22m ago
In 1969, a fireball broke over the Victorian town of Murchison and scattered carbon-rich stones across the paddocks, which contain grains of silicon carbide that condensed in dying stars roughly 7 billion years ago.
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Murchison, Victoria, Australia
Who
cosmochemist Philipp Heck
What
In 1969, a fireball broke over the Victorian town of Murchison and scattered carbon-rich stones across the paddocks, which contain grains of silicon carbide that condensed in dying stars roughly 7 billion years ago.
When
Wed, 17 Jun 2026 03:10:14 GMT · 3h 22m ago
Where
Murchison, Victoria, Australia ·
Why
The grains formed in the outflows of stars that died before the Sun was born, mostly red giants shedding their atmospheres, with some traces from supernovae.
The Frontline Impact
How this affects you
This discovery provides physical evidence for a burst of star formation in the Milky Way about 7 billion years ago, challenging previous assumptions about constant star formation in the galaxy. The meteorite also contains organic compounds, including amino acids, nucleobases, and sugars, making it a key object for studying the origins of life.
Story chain
6 events in this thread- Health & Science3h 22m agoThe Murchison meteorite, which fell in Victoria, Australia, in 1969, contains grains of silicon carbide formed around 7 billion years ago, predating the Sun by 2.5 billion years.Open article
- Health & Science3h 22m agoGrains of silicon carbide found in the Murchison meteorite, which fell in 1969, are 7 billion years old and are the oldest solid material ever held in a human hand.Open article
- Currently Reading3h 22m agoIn 1969, a fireball broke over the Victorian town of Murchison and scattered carbon-rich stones across the paddocks, which contain grains of silicon carbide that condensed in dying stars roughly 7 billion years ago.
- Health & Science3h 22m agoThe Murchison meteorite, which fell on an Australian town in 1969, contains grains of silicon carbide dating back roughly 7 billion years, making them older than the Sun and the most ancient solid material ever held in a human hand.Open article
- Health & Science3h 22m agoThe Murchison meteorite contains grains of silicon carbide formed around 7 billion years ago, making them older than the Sun, Earth, or anything else in this solar system.Open article
- Health & Science3h 22m agoGrains of stardust 7 billion years old, predating the Sun itself, were found inside the Murchison meteorite that fell in Victoria, Australia, in 1969.Open article