David Hole's metal-detecting adventure in 2015 began as a hunt for gold but ended with a discovery from outer space. While exploring Maryborough Regional Park near Melbourne, Australia, Hole uncovered a strange, heavy rock buried in yellow clay.
Convinced it contained a nugget of gold, he brought it home and attempted everything from a sledgehammer to acid to break it open—but the rock remained intact.
Australian Man Uncovers Ancient Meteorite
After years of curiosity, Hole decided to take the unusual find to the Melbourne Museum for analysis.
There, experts revealed the astonishing truth: the rock was not gold, but a rare meteorite, estimated to be 4.6 billion years old, NY Post said.
Named the Maryborough meteorite, after the town near its discovery, the object weighed an impressive 37.5 pounds and was composed of high levels of iron, classifying it as an H5 ordinary chondrite.
The meteorite's dimpled, sculpted surface was shaped as it burned through Earth's atmosphere, a hallmark of its extraterrestrial origin. Researchers believe it originated from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, possibly dislodged by a collision before eventually making its way to Earth.
Carbon dating suggests it landed between 100 and 1,000 years ago, with meteor sightings recorded in the area between 1889 and 1951 possibly marking its arrival.
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Maryborough Meteorite Holds Building Blocks of Life
Geologist Dermot Henry, who examined the rock, noted that meteorites like this provide invaluable insights into the history of the solar system.
They contain clues about the age, formation, and chemistry of planets, and some even include organic compounds that could hold the building blocks of life. "Meteorites are like time capsules from space," Henry explained, underscoring their scientific significance.
The Maryborough meteorite is one of only 17 ever recorded in Victoria, making it rarer than gold. Its sheer size ranks it as the second-largest chondritic meteorite found in the region, surpassed only by a 55-kilogram specimen discovered in 2003.
According to Science Alert, Hole described the find as a stroke of luck, likening the odds of discovery to "being struck by lightning twice." His incredible find not only highlights the unpredictability of space exploration but also the potential for extraordinary discoveries in the unlikeliest places.
This rare meteorite will continue to be studied, offering scientists a deeper understanding of our cosmic origins. For now, it serves as a reminder of the mysteries lying just beneath the surface, waiting to be uncovered.
