The Mukundpura Meteorite
Early one June morning, villagers near Jaipur heard a thunderous bang and found a burning stone in their field: a rare meteorite, rich in the chemistry of life.
What was reported
At about 5:15 am on 6 June 2017, villagers in Mukundpura, near Jaipur, saw a bright streak in the sky and heard a loud explosion. A stone crashed into a sandy field, making a small crater. The pieces were quickly collected by local authorities and handed to the Geological Survey of India.
Because it was picked up so soon after falling, it was almost untouched by Earth's air and water.
Explanations offered
Scientists found it is a carbonaceous chondrite, a rare and very old type of meteorite rich in water-bearing minerals and organic compounds, including amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. It has been studied by scientists in India and abroad.
- When
- 6 June 2017
- Where
- Mukundpura, near Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
- Witnesses
- Villagers near Jaipur
- Status
- Confirmed
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.