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Health & Science2h 8m ago

A 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.

Moon, Earth (northwest Africa), 4 Vesta

Who
Carolyn Crow, University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) team
What
A 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.
When
Sun, 14 Jun 2026 18:11:15 GMT · 2h 8m ago
Where
Moon, Earth (northwest Africa), 4 Vesta ·
Why
The meteorite preserves records of three separate collisions, with the oldest impact dating back about 3.5 billion years, offering insight into the early solar system's bombardment.
The Frontline Impact

How this affects you

This discovery provides concrete dates for significant asteroid impacts during Earth's early history, helping scientists understand how early life survived and providing new targets for planetary research. It suggests the bombardment did not fade quietly and continued into life's first chapters.

Story chain

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