the.com/meteorite
A rock that survived re-entry just to become a paperweight with a passport stamp.
means A piece of rock or metal from space that has fallen to Earth's surface without burning up completely.
from From Greek 'meteoros' meaning 'high in the air' or 'lofty' — the same root that gives us 'meteor.' The Greeks used it for any atmospheric phenomenon, from shooting stars to weather itself (hence 'meteorology'). The '-ite' suffix, common in mineral names, was tacked on to distinguish the actual surviving rock from the glowing streak of light you see as it burns through the sky — that fleeting flash is the meteor; what lands is the meteorite.
- origin
- older than earth itself, often by a billion years
- legal status
- finders keepers in most countries, oddly
- composition tell
- nickel-iron content metal detectors love
- rarity math
- rarer by weight than diamonds, less sparkly