The Murchison meteorite fell near the town of Murchison in Victoria, Australia, after a fireball was seen crossing the sky and broke into fragments, which were collected over a wide area. It is a carbonaceous chondrite, a rare type of stony meteorite that is rich in organic compounds and is among the most primitive material available for study. Analyses found dozens of amino acids, including some that are uncommon on Earth, which supported the idea that building blocks of life can form in space. It also contains tiny presolar grains that formed before the Sun, making it one of the most studied meteorites in history. Fragments are held by museums and research laboratories around the world.
Before and after
- 20 December 1968Death of John Steinbeck
- 21 December 1968Launch of Apollo 8
- 24 December 1968Apollo 8 orbits the Moon and photographs Earthrise
- 31 December 1968First flight of Tupolev Tu-144
- 1969Discovery of the Murchison meteorite
- 1969Invention of ed
- 1969Introduction of special drawing rights
- 1969Establishment of Simien Mountains National Park
- 1969Founding of United Nations Population Fund
More in Universe & space
- 1 May 1949Discovery of Nereid
- 20 August 1977Launch of Voyager 2
- 23 July 1995Discovery of Comet Hale-Bopp
- 15 May 2005Discovery of Nix
- 15 May 2005Discovery of Hydra
- 10 September 2005Discovery of Dysnomia
The era
This moment belongs to the Contemporary world (1945 CE to today), the world since 1945. You can also browse everything in the 20th century.