17 kg Mary borough Meteorite Reveals 4.6 Billion-Year Secret

[{"selector":"#anim-18bb6938-d9fd-4bd9-aceb-7fcb9640a762","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-75fa946b-d431-4fe7-9242-a8d419af5e4b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.55696%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e7379e65-a000-4e8e-aef1-0f91aabacdeb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e9e671e1-76b4-4380-824d-2d763ed483be","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-122.3301%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 17 kg Mary borough Meteorite Reveals 4.6 Billion-Year Secret Govind Tekale

In 2015, David Hole found a mysterious, heavy rock while metal detecting in Maryborough Regional Park, Australia.

[{"selector":"#anim-edc41fc8-daaa-4152-9d4e-cb6b5aa218ec","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c40f29a6-f846-4fa0-9c27-f03c07482fae","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0716a39f-01ba-4dd1-8b2f-8d7a2086145b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4f873ffd-dad0-4c3f-b155-0e6849059046","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-03da2a77-13a0-4b0d-bacb-a261294d463a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Museums Victoria

Years later, experts revealed his stubborn rock was actually a 4.6-billion-year-old meteorite from space!

[{"selector":"#anim-c9d2150d-ad22-4a7f-8eb3-37ec6761dfd3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c8cf4667-feb0-4462-b07c-2a06341fc827","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 244.87591%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1e4138a2-ceda-4262-a47c-4fc95392ca10","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-312f71c9-6960-43e5-907d-792956911519","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -111.1955%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b694cf6b-ba33-4ec8-a9c2-089d1cbd5a39","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Museums Victoria

At 17kg, the Maryborough meteorite is the second-largest ever found in Victoria and only the 17th recorded in the state.

[{"selector":"#anim-bb2b47bb-d075-41b2-af0f-9c5e5c9387d8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-992d2339-ecec-4f5d-b3bf-8fd1e030d5e8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.58885%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1119e375-e839-41a0-a401-0bd4b6641495","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d2ea58bf-678a-4352-b190-e9253e90dd37","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(113.60759%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d344221f-5f28-41cb-9d0b-f68bfa9f3d2d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Museums Victoria

What makes this space rock special? Tiny crystallized mineral droplets called chondrules that formed during the Solar System's birth.

[{"selector":"#anim-30e89fec-219b-44f0-8c51-54fd5109cfd2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b95f0463-c98e-49a2-88c0-e3ebabb662bd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 162.724%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c59d672f-c209-4846-9819-bf1799afdd93","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a845a2be-3876-44c2-b530-bbc8911324c9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2d83ddca-1d1a-49e2-ba0b-55f8402382f3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Museums Victoria

Scientific analysis revealed a specific composition with olivine, orthopyroxene and metallic phases like kamacite and taenite.

[{"selector":"#anim-a4ab6e35-ab50-4fb7-8449-f0bfeb2f284d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-372e2a2c-f246-4299-b6e6-e09875a050b6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b0058f57-2a36-424a-8b21-1674821ad0f2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3ea2a5e8-6753-4691-8fb7-07129c929ce1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-12fa4d03-4077-4c70-b19a-dc1413f3b54b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Museums Victoria

"Meteorites provide the cheapest form of space exploration," says Melbourne Museum geologist Dermot Henry.

[{"selector":"#anim-d1fa188a-9c28-4589-b7f8-687c5ee17806","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c8c07277-a391-44cf-8a0d-2a8bae92cf03","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 197.04866%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a0b667d9-e4fe-454e-83b4-ae63ad604743","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-84045b4a-619c-4611-8699-acee577b509c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ec47c5f7-f1b1-4565-aad6-cc6041da0d5d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Museums Victoria

The meteorite's journey began in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter - primordial leftovers from planetary formation.

[{"selector":"#anim-09e06058-1009-4029-9e1a-fbe7b4e3a405","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fca1e822-7b79-455d-8325-22e1639beddc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-846209ea-1aa0-4b7c-ad1c-d590c38c8a89","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b4b78be8-548f-4658-b6fe-d63e3d728bf8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b238288e-bd3a-4af5-bd51-99d9063975b5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Museums Victoria

How old is it? Carbon-14 dating suggests it landed on Earth between 100 and 1,000 years ago.

[{"selector":"#anim-b557976a-c490-44ba-bb11-326f582bb618","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-610f0c17-364e-4115-b938-73d7f8114bf7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 245.84677%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fb4ca33d-40d6-4717-a756-8798d134a2c1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7d1d0e25-2c84-4fab-aaf9-530d169423e2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -119.00584%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-71b3ee3f-9d9d-4d84-ad0a-03357b48fcca","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Museums Victoria

Why couldn't Hole break it open? Its high iron content made it extraordinarily hard - a clue to its extraterrestrial origin.

[{"selector":"#anim-92165cb1-7a49-4db5-b1fd-9b2d196685ad","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8f6982fd-8648-4586-aaaf-25c947b6ca9d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-366bc7ce-f61c-4573-b3f1-cebc73e00bb6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a52f926a-404b-4243-893c-cd3f96aae61b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-74753959-9953-4088-a029-b3243a5ef87e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Museums Victoria

The meteorite shows minimal weathering with thin iron-oxide mantles around metal grains, preserving its scientific value.

[{"selector":"#anim-16577c3b-3521-45d1-846b-f164261f80d0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-57b9dc5f-d528-486f-b249-942afdefe43d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 197.8299%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-509d2281-f716-4e38-ba8b-016cb2053c74","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1b3cc3d3-224f-45c0-8c8e-9775e2e22ff6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1ef228d4-4ae0-493b-a73f-59cb87436820","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Museums Victoria Learn more

Where can you see this a cosmic visitor? It's on display at Melbourne Museum's "Dynamic Earth" exhibition.

[{"selector":"#anim-0ad5cea7-00a6-4852-9932-17bd4a3e54b0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-97325990-8e74-46db-96c9-a5110310c7d5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0724e91a-bca4-4a1f-84cb-2335ef3e5617","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2458652a-0d2a-4384-9fae-23cee469469c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3c7d9e67-f659-4a97-9550-889802bd1ebe","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Museums Victoria Learn more

What everyday object might be a 4.6-billion-year-old space rock in disguise? This discovery proves that sometimes extraordinary treasures hide in plain sight.

[{"selector":"#anim-89b4a4a2-2d05-4773-860b-1a35bbcabf12","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6a9d51b2-0444-4300-b007-65ccc9ef46e8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 163.36915%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7484e620-0076-485c-84b4-add5330fdfd3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f5fa70f3-5d63-4c5c-836a-414c67067da8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -113.98032%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-866465d2-e5ff-471f-8355-f3d39997664a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Museums Victoria

[{"selector":"#anim-71626e05-cf2f-465f-aa55-062b595981ef","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ba9dfeb1-8747-4f49-a454-2b131868c880","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e6b14cb9-dac1-4787-af57-e998000f25b6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.50152%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2a0c3050-2629-45ba-af4f-8537486a3fe6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fa964f09-21a4-4a52-97e5-75d8a9c2ca73","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.2381%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Point Reyes Rezones 16,000 Acres, 11 Ranchers Exit, Tule Elk Thrive Learn more