Costa Rica’s powerful ‘mudball’ meteorite: Reveals new secrets from deep space

Costa Rica’s powerful ‘mudball’ meteorite: Reveals new secrets from deep space

In April 2019, a fiery streak lit up the sky over northern Costa Rica. It wasn’t lightning or fireworks. It was a rock from space, plunging into Earth’s atmosphere at over 14 kilometers per second. This cosmic visitor exploded in a bright flare high above the Earth, dropping rare meteorite fragments across the quiet town of Aguas Zarcas. What followed was one of the most important meteorite recoveries in recent history. A fall that captured eyes…