Meteorite Older Than Earth Discovered in Britain, May Reveal Origins of Life, Scientists Say

This space rock, which scientists believe has travelled 110 million miles from the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, is the first meteorite to be found in Britain since 1991.

A part of ancient space rock, found in England, may be the oldest meteorite on Earth. In fact, it could be even older than our planet, according to the East Anglian Astrophysical Research Organisation (EAARO).

The EAARO said in its release that a 300 gram (11 oz) fragment, which was discovered on a driveway near the village of Woodmancote, Gloucestershire, back in March, is presumed to be 4.6 billion years old whereas Earth is reckoned to be about 4.54 billion years old.

According to a press release from Loughborough University, this unique piece of space debris could answer questions about how life on Earth began.

"The bulk of the meteorite is comprised of minerals such as olivine and phyllosilicates, with other mineral inclusions called chondrules. But the composition is different from anything you would find here on Earth and potentially unlike any other meteorites we've found – possibly containing some previously unknown chemistry or physical structure never before seen in other recorded meteorite samples," Shaun Fowler from the Loughborough Materials Characterisation Centre said.