Home / Science / Girl, 9, Finds 4.5 Billion-Year-Old Meteorite in Wales
Girl, 9, Finds 4.5 Billion-Year-Old Meteorite in Wales
28 Jan
Summary
- A nine-year-old girl discovered an ancient meteorite on a Welsh beach.
- The meteorite is estimated to be 4.5 billion years old, predating Earth.
- The find was initially dismissed but confirmed by a geologist family friend.
An astonishing discovery was made on a beach near Penarth Pier in Wales, where a nine-year-old girl named Ariana Church found a meteorite. This extraordinary find is a Ferrous Iron Aerolite, estimated to be 4.5 billion years old, making it older than the Earth. The discovery happened during a family outing that included Ariana's sister, mother, and grandmother.
Ariana spotted the unusual stone, which was roughly the size of a tennis ball and remarkably heavy. While initial attempts to identify it using online tools were dismissed as an 'AI mistake', a geologist family friend confirmed its extraterrestrial origin. The meteorite's age was verified by examining its internal crystals after it was cut in half.
The finding has brought excitement to Ariana's school, where she has become a local celebrity and shared her experience during an assembly. Her grandmother emphasized the importance of encouraging children to explore the outdoors and observe their surroundings, suggesting such discoveries are missed when children are overly reliant on screens.
