Scientists have found rare extraterrestrial amino acids and evidence of ancient salty water in a meteorite that crashed into a New Jersey home in 2024. The pristine space rock is helping researchers study the early solar system and how organic molecules essential for life may have reached Earth billions of years ago.

New York, July 16: A meteorite that crashed through the roof of a home in Hillsborough, New Jersey, has provided scientists with a rare glimpse into the early solar system. The fragile space rock, weighing more than one kilogram, contains complex amino acids and evidence of ancient salty water, offering fresh clues about the origins of organic molecules essential for life.

The findings come from a study published on Wednesday in the journal .

Rare Space Rock Recovered

On July 16, 2024, residents across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania witnessed a bright fireball streak across the daytime sky. As it passed south of the Statue of Liberty, it generated a sonic boom that was felt in parts of New York City and New Jersey.