Georgia House Hit by 4.56-Billion-Year-Old Meteorite Fragment

A small meteorite fragment that smashed through a home in Henry County, Georgia, on 26 June has been dated at about 4.56 billion years—roughly 20 million years older than Earth itself—according to an analysis led by University of Georgia geologist Scott Harris. Dash-cam videos captured a bright fireball streaking across the southern U.S. sky the night of the fall. The stone pierced the roof, an air-duct and several centimetres of insulation before embedding in the living-room floor, leaving a cherry-sized crater. No injuries were reported. Harris said the meteorite originated in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter and briefly exceeded the sound barrier while entering the atmosphere. Researchers plan to study its composition to learn more about early solar-system processes and to refine risk assessments for larger objects that could pose future threats.