A meteorite weighing over 2 pounds crashed through a New Jersey home's roof in 2024 and was quickly recovered by homeowners, preventing contamination.
Scientific analysis revealed it is a rare CM½-type carbonaceous chondrite, containing ancient water-rich salts, complex amino acids not found on Earth, and organic carbon, offering insights into the early solar system and the delivery of life's building blocks.
The meteorite likely originated from an asteroid in the inner asteroid belt, with its pristine condition allowing unprecedented study of water-organic interactions, highlighting how citizen reports can aid meteorite recovery and research.