Meteorites Meteorites - messengers from the past Meteorites were formed at the birth of the solar system, about 4,560 million years ago. We have no material on Earth as old as this. Only by studying meteorites can we learn about the processes that shaped our solar system and our planet.
Meteorites are pieces of ancient material that survive their fall to Earth from space.
A meteorite is named after a place nearest to where it landed. Illustration Fusion-crusted meteorite. This project is part of the Earth Materials, History and Processes Research Theme.