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Health & Science3h 35m ago
A lunar meteorite named NWA 12593 preserves records of three ancient impacts, linking collision histories across Earth, the Moon, and Vesta.
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northwest Africa (where meteorite was found); Earth, Moon, Vesta (celestial bodies referenced)
Who
Carolyn Crow, University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder)
What
A lunar meteorite named NWA 12593 preserves records of three ancient impacts, linking collision histories across Earth, the Moon, and Vesta.
When
Sun, 14 Jun 2026 18:11:15 GMT · 3h 35m ago
Where
northwest Africa (where meteorite was found); Earth, Moon, Vesta (celestial bodies referenced) ·
Why
By measuring the slow decay of radioactive elements locked in the rock’s minerals, the researchers dated the oldest impact to roughly 3.5 billion years ago, with subsequent impacts also recorded within the meteorite.
The Frontline Impact
How this affects you
This discovery provides concrete dates for significant ancient impacts, offering new insights for biologists modeling early life's survival and for geologists identifying ancient craters on Earth. It changes previous understanding by confirming a synchronous bombardment across multiple celestial bodies.
Story chain
5 events in this thread- Health & Science3h 35m agoA lunar meteorite, NWA 12593, contains evidence of three ancient impacts that occurred approximately 3.5 billion years ago, linking collision histories across Earth, the Moon, and Vesta.Open article
- Currently Reading3h 35m agoA lunar meteorite named NWA 12593 preserves records of three ancient impacts, linking collision histories across Earth, the Moon, and Vesta.
- Health & Science3h 35m agoA lunar meteorite, NWA 12593, preserves records of three ancient impacts, with the oldest dated to roughly 3.5 billion years ago.Open article
- Health & Science3h 35m agoA lunar meteorite named NWA 12593 preserves records of three ancient impacts, providing insights into the collision histories of Earth, the Moon, and Vesta.Open article
- Health & Science3h 35m agoA lunar meteorite, NWA 12593, preserves records of three ancient impacts, including one dated roughly 3.5 billion years ago, linking collision histories across Earth, the Moon, and Vesta.Open article