An Australian metal detectorist named David Hole made an extraordinary discovery that intrigued scientists and captivated the public. Years after unearthing an unusual rock, David Hole found with the help of experts at the Melbourne Museum that a rock he found was a rare 4.6 billion-year-old meteorite.
While searching for gold in Maryborough Regional Park near Melbourne, Australia, Hole's metal detector picked up a strong signal. He uncovered a heavy, reddish rock weighing almost 18 kilograms (40 pounds). Believing it might contain a valuable nugget of gold, he took the rock home with high hopes.
Determined to reveal its contents, Hole tried everything to crack the rock open. He used a drill, soaked it in acid, and hammered it vigorously, but nothing could make even a scratch. The stubborn rock remained intact, and its true nature continued to elude him.
Eventually, Hole decided to seek expert advice and took the rock to the Melbourne Museum. There, geologists Dermot Henry and Bill Birch examined the object and identified it as a rare iron-rich meteorite, as reported by Mundo Deportivo. They classified it as an H5 ordinary chondrite, a type of meteorite that contains small, crystallized droplets of minerals known as chondrules.
The meteorite has been named Maryborough in honor of the location where it was found. Weighing 17 kilograms and estimated to be about 4.6 billion years old, it serves as a time capsule containing materials older than the Earth itself. "Meteorites are scientific treasures because they are not just space rocks; they carry valuable information about the history of the solar system and the formation of planets," said Dermot Henry, a geologist at the Melbourne Museum.
Composed mainly of iron, the Maryborough meteorite boasts a high percentage of this metal. When scientists examined its interior, they discovered chondrules—a rare feature that offers insights into the early stages of planetary formation. The meteorite's characteristic surface, formed upon entering the Earth's atmosphere, adds to its distinct features.
This find is one of only 17 meteorites recorded in the Australian state of Victoria.
"It was just luck. A billion to one," said David Hole, expressing his astonishment at the significance of his find.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.
