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Meteorite that ripped through Georgia homeowner's roof is 20 million years older than Earth, scientist says

HENRY COUNTY, GEORGIA, AUG 11 – The McDonough Meteorite, older by 20 million years than Earth, is the 27th recovered in Georgia and offers insights into early solar system history, researchers say.

  • On June 26, 2025, a meteorite crashed into the roof of a home in Henry County, Georgia, drawing the attention of observers across several Southern states.
  • The meteorite's fiery fall happened because it entered Earth's atmosphere at about 30,000 mph and broke apart a few miles above the ground under intense stress.
  • Scott Harris, a planetary scientist at the University of Georgia, analyzed 23 grams of the meteorite fragments and identified their origin as part of an asteroid family formed from a massive breakup event that occurred approximately 470 million years ago.
  • Harris determined that the meteorite is approximately 4.56 billion years old, making it about 20 million years older than Earth, and explained that it originates from a collection of asteroids located in the main belt orbiting between Mars and Jupiter.
  • Researchers intend to present their analysis and propose the name McDonough Meteorite to the Meteoritical Society, while additional fragments will be exhibited at the Tellus Science Museum.
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A huge explosion rocked the town of McDonough, Georgia, when a meteorite crashed into a house. Scientists believe it is more than 20 million years older than Earth.

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Georgia Public Broadcasting broke the news in Georgia, United States on Friday, August 8, 2025.
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