MARYBOROUGH, AUSTRALIA – A metal detector enthusiast in Australia made a surprising discovery that rocked his world. Dave Hole, a man from Australia, stumbled upon a hefty rock that he initially believed to be filled with gold. However, upon closer inspection, it turned out that the rock was not of this world.
The rock, weighing nearly 40 pounds and incredibly dense for its size, caught Hole’s attention as he dug it up. Despite his best efforts with a sledgehammer, the rock proved to be unyielding, leading him to seek answers at the Melbourne Museum.
Experts at the museum quickly determined that the rock was no ordinary earthly object. It was actually a meteorite, believed to be around 4.6 billion years old. Geologists identified the rock as an H5 ordinary chondrite, showcasing a unique sculpted appearance from its journey through Earth’s atmosphere.
Named the Maryborough meteorite after the town where it was discovered, the space rock likely originated from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Geologist Dermot Henry explained that the meteorite most likely collided with Earth only a couple of centuries ago, making it a rare and valuable find.
Despite the initial disappointment of not finding gold, Hole acknowledges the incredible odds of finding such a rare meteorite. Describing it as a stroke of luck, he recognizes the rarity and significance of his discovery in the vast universe.