Carbonaceous meteorites hold a special place in science—they contain water and organic molecules, vital ingredients linked to the origin of life on Earth. Despite their importance, these meteorites are surprisingly scarce.
Although more than half of all meteoroids in space are predicted to be carbonaceous, only about 4% of meteorites recovered on Earth fit this category. So, why the discrepancy?
A global team of researchers from institutions like Curtin University‘s School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, the International Centre for Radio Astronomy (ICRAR), and the Paris Observatory set out to solve this mystery.
Their study analyzed 7,982 meteoroid impacts and 540 potential meteorite falls from 19 global observation networks across 39 countries, making it the most comprehensive investigation.
Their findings revealed a striking truth: Earth’s atmosphere and the Sun act as colossal filters, destroying many fragile, carbon-rich meteoroids before they can reach the planet’s surface.
It has long been suspected that carbonaceous materials are too weak to survive the fiery plunge through the atmosphere. But this study shows that many of these meteoroids don’t even make it to Earth’s atmosphere—they are repeatedly exposed to the Sun’s intense heat, which causes them to fragment and disintegrate in space.
Interestingly, the study found that some meteoroids created through tidal disruptions—when asteroids break apart after close encounters with planets—are particularly delicate and rarely survive atmospheric entry.
These insights explain the rarity of carbonaceous meteorites on Earth and have significant implications for future asteroid exploration, impact hazard assessments, and theories about how Earth may have acquired its water and organic compounds essential for life.
Authors noted, “These findings reconcile the predicted carbonaceous flux with its scarcity in collections, underscoring how orbital evolution and atmospheric filtering shape the materials that reach Earth’s surface.”
Journal Reference:
- Shober, P.M., Devillepoix, H.A.R., Vaubaillon, J. et al. Perihelion history and atmospheric survival as primary drivers of the Earth’s meteorite record. Nat Astron (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41550-025-02526-6
Source: Tech Explorist
