Topic description and stories

An iron meteorite from the core of a melted planetesimal (left) and a chondrite meteorite, derived from a ‘primitive’, unmelted planetesimal (right).

How did the building blocks of life arrive on Earth?

11 Oct 2024

Researchers have used the chemical fingerprints of zinc contained in meteorites to determine the origin of volatile elements on Earth. ̽»¨Ö±²¥results...

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Tetrataenite found in Nuevo Mercurio, Zacatecas, Mexico

New approach to ‘cosmic magnet’ manufacturing could reduce reliance on rare earths in low-carbon technologies

25 Oct 2022

Researchers have discovered a potential new method for making the high-performance magnets used in wind turbines and electric cars without the need...

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False-colour image of impact recrystallised phosphate mineral in Chelyabinsk meteorite

Microscopic view on asteroid collisions could help us understand planet formation

24 Feb 2022

A new way of dating collisions between asteroids and planetary bodies throughout our Solar System’s history could help scientists reconstruct how and...

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Barringer Crater aerial photo

Meteorite impact turns silica into stishovite in a billionth of a second

13 Oct 2015

Simon Redfern from the Department of Earth Sciences discusses a study that has recreated the conditions experienced during the meteor strike that...

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̽»¨Ö±²¥Esquel pallasite from the Natural History Museum collections, consists of gem-quality crystals of the silicate mineral olivine embedded in a matrix of iron-nickel alloy.

Death of a dynamo – a hard drive from space

21 Jan 2015

Hidden magnetic messages contained within ancient meteorites are providing a unique window into the processes that shaped our solar system, and may...

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