Meteorite in New Jersey Reveals Alien Amino Acids and Chemistry

WHO:

6abc Philadelphia - Peter Jenniskens, senior research scientist at the SETI Institute and NASA's Ames Research Center, is the lead author of the study on the Hillsborough meteorite.

6abc Philadelphia - Dr. Danny Glavin, senior scientist for the Sample Return in the Solar System Exploration Division at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, is a coauthor of the study.

6abc Philadelphia - Homeowners in Hillsborough, New Jersey, collected the meteorite fragments.

WHAT:

6abc Philadelphia - A meteorite weighing more than 2 pounds (1 kilogram) crashed through the roof of a New Jersey home.

6abc Philadelphia - The meteorite contained a complex suite of amino acids, which are fundamental building blocks of proteins.

6abc Philadelphia - The analysis revealed the meteorite to be a rare, primitive type known as a CM-type carbonaceous chondrite.

6abc Philadelphia - The meteorite is classified as a CM since it exists as an intermediate between two types of primitive CM meteorites, CM1 and CM2.

6abc Philadelphia - The study found that most of the amino acids detected in the Hillsborough meteorite are rare or nonexistent in life on Earth.

WHERE:

6abc Philadelphia - The meteorite crashed into a home in Hillsborough, New Jersey.

6abc Philadelphia - Observers reported seeing the fireball across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania.

WHEN:

6abc Philadelphia - The fireball was observed on July 16, 2024.

6abc Philadelphia - The study detailing the analysis of the Hillsborough meteorite was published on a Wednesday.

WHY:

6abc Philadelphia - The meteorite provides evidence that meteorite delivery of organic matter to early Earth could have been an important source of organic molecules necessary for the origin of life.

HOW:

6abc Philadelphia - The homeowners collected the meteorite fragments using disposable gloves, aluminum foil, and glass jars to minimize contamination.

6abc Philadelphia - The meteorite was detected by Newark Liberty International Airport's Doppler weather radar as it broke apart 22 miles (35.4 kilometers) above ground.

(UPDATED July 17, 2026 05:51 UTC)

A meteorite weighing more than two pounds crashed through the roof of a home in Hillsborough, New Jersey, after being detected by Newark Liberty International Airport's Doppler weather radar as it broke apart 22 miles above ground. This rare CM-type carbonaceous chondrite contains a complex suite of amino acids, which are fundamental building blocks of proteins, and the study found that most of these amino acids are rare or nonexistent in life on Earth. Led by Peter Jenniskens from the SETI Institute and NASA's Ames Research Center, the study highlights the meteorite's significance in providing evidence that meteorite delivery of organic matter could have been an important source of organic molecules necessary for the origin of life.