In 1969, Australia recovered the Murchison meteorite after it fell near Victoria. Years later, scientists studied stardust hidden inside and discovered grains dating back roughly 7 billion years, before the Solar System existed

The Murchison meteorite carried something far older than Earth. Scientists found tiny silicon carbide grains inside it that formed nearly 7 billion years ago, long before the Sun existed. The meteorite fell in Victoria, Australia, in 1969. Researchers later isolated the ancient stardust and studied trapped isotopes to estimate its age. The discovery gives scientists a rare physical record of ancient stars, presolar grains, cosmic dust, and the early Milky Way.