Meteorite That Struck New Jersey Home in 2024 Held Amino Acids and Organic Compounds

A meteorite that struck a home in New Jersey in July 2024 contained soluble organic compounds and amino acids, according to a paper published Wednesday in the journal ScienceAdvances. The fragments consisted of rare CM1/2 carbonaceous chondrite material, only the second observed fall of this type. The homeowner preserved the pieces in glass jars using disposable gloves and aluminum foil.

A forensic examination showed the meteorite had been coated in concentrated salty fluids, or brine, before separating from its parent asteroid. Researchers noted that such brines can keep phosphate suspended and trigger chemical reactions that produce molecules essential to life. The meteorite also held magnesium organic compounds found in blood and used in photosynthesis, along with amino acids.

The SETI Institute described the object as one of the most scientifically valuable meteorites recovered. Some fragments will go to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City after the meteorite passed over the city before landing in New Jersey. "We are thrilled that nature delivered such a precious asteroid sample on our doorstep," said museum curator Denton Ebel.

Study author Peter Jenniskens stated that the high concentration of salt in brines had never been seen before on this kind of object. Cosmochemist Queenie Chan said it is possible other asteroids made of carbonaceous chondrite delivered organic matter to the early Earth.