7-Billion-Year-Old Stardust Discovered in Murchison Meteorite

A 7-billion-year-old grain of stardust from the Murchison meteorite is older than our Sun.

Key Takeaways

  1. Scientists found 7-billion-year-old stardust inside the Murchison meteorite, making it the oldest solid material on Earth.
  2. The stardust predates our Sun and solar system, revealing insights into the galaxy’s history.
  3. Researchers dated the grains by analyzing their exposure to cosmic rays over billions of years.
  4. The study suggests a “star formation baby boom” occurred around 7 billion years ago.
  5. The Murchison meteorite continues to provide groundbreaking discoveries, with more ancient minerals yet to be found.

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7-Billion-Year-Old Stardust Found in Murchison Meteorite

Scientists have identified the oldest solid material ever discovered on Earth—7-billion-year-old stardust hidden within the Murchison meteorite. This remarkable find, reported in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, offers new insights into the origins of our solar system and the history of star formation in our galaxy.

The Murchison meteorite, which fell in Victoria, Australia, in 1969, has long been a scientific treasure. Within its composition, researchers uncovered tiny presolar grains of silicon carbide, a rare material formed before the solar system existed. By analyzing the exposure of these grains to cosmic rays, scientists determined their ages, with some dating back 5.5 billion years, and one even reaching 7 billion years—making it older than the Sun itself.

A rainbow image of the Egg Nebula and inset a presolar silicon carbide grain.
Presolar grains found in the Murchison meteorite may be from the clouds of dust and gas around ageing stars like the pictured Egg Nebula. (Supplied: NASA, W. Sparks (STScI) & R. Sahai (JPL) & inset Janaina N. Avila)

Unraveling the History of Stardust

Typical Earth-based dating methods don’t work for such ancient materials, so researchers used cosmic ray exposure dating. When cosmic rays—high-energy particles from space—strike the grains, they create atomic fragments. By counting these fragments, scientists estimate how long the grains have traveled through space.

Their findings revealed something unexpected—many of the grains were younger than expected, suggesting a period of enhanced star formation in our galaxy about 7 billion years ago. This “stellar baby boom” likely led to the creation of more dust and, eventually, more planets and stars.

Dr. Philipp Heck, a cosmochemist from the Field Museum in Chicago and lead author of the study, emphasized the significance of the Murchison meteorite, stating that it remains a crucial source of scientific discovery. Experts believe even older grains may still be hidden within it, waiting to be uncovered.

These findings reshape our understanding of how stars and planetary systems form, while also reinforcing the importance of meteorites like Murchison in unlocking the secrets of the universe. As scientists continue to explore these ancient grains, they hope to reveal even more about the early days of our galaxy and the origins of our solar system.

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Fankie
Fankie
5 months ago

Isn’t everything billions of years old technically?

DanielP
DanielP
5 months ago

I honestly thought it meant the Victorian era

AnnieL
AnnieL
5 months ago

They suggest there was a star-making baby boom about 7 billion years ago

You’re saying they found one of the oldest boomers in existence?

Paul
Paul
5 months ago

Seeing as this solar system is based on remnants of a previous star, its surprising that this is the first evidence of this.

Tech to Trick
Tech to Trick
5 months ago

Tech to Trick I like the efforts you have put in this, regards for all the great content.

Nige
Nige
5 months ago

Surely everything in the universe is the same age? It may be in an altered state, but the constituents must have been made at the same time?

Jan Steinman
Jan Steinman
5 months ago
Reply to  Nige

In the beginning, there was only hydrogen. Stars formed, and turned hydrogen into helium. Helium then fused into progressively heavier elements, up to iron. Supernovas happened and fused elements heavier than iron.

Yea, the quarks that form all subatomic particles are the same age. But different elements are formed at different times, and so are not the same age, and isotope analysis can tell them apart.

Nutra Gears
Nutra Gears
5 months ago

Nutra Gears I do not even understand how I ended up here, but I assumed this publish used to be great

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