Meteorite Analysis Suggests Remnants of a Lost Planet from Early Solar System Discovered in Algeria (2023)

Analysis of the Northwest Africa (NWA) 15915 meteorite, discovered in Algeria in 2023, indicates it may be a fragment of a long-dead planet formed in an environment similar to Mercury. The 2.84-kilogram rock, an outlier among meteorites, exhibits a unique composition distinct from known planetary bodies. Researchers, led by Jennifer Mitchell at the University of Minnesota, used electron microscopy and spectroscopic instruments to study the meteorite's makeup. The analysis revealed a mix of magnetic metal-rich minerals that cooled slowly, suggesting a Mercury-like origin. While most meteorites are traceable to parent bodies like the Moon, Mars, or asteroids, NWA 15915's characteristics point to a previously unknown, differentiated body in the inner Solar System. This finding offers a glimpse into the chaotic early Solar System, where numerous protoplanets existed before coalescing into the planets we know today.