By John Q. Hosedrinker 
A meteorite, originating from a fireball seen in Georgia this past June, has been confirmed to be older than Earth. The space rock, which struck a home in McDonough, Georgia, was analyzed by a University of Georgia scientist. Microscopic examination revealed the meteorite formed 4.56 billion years ago and originated from the asteroid belt. Scientists plan to submit their findings to the Nomenclature Committee of the Meteoritical Society and propose naming the space rock the McDonough Meteorite.
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The meteorite that ripped through a Georgia homeowner’s roof is making headlines, and the big question swirling around is: how old is this space rock? Well, according to the scientists involved, it’s older than our planet, about 20 million years older to be precise. That’s a mind-bending concept, isn’t it? We’re talking about a rock that, even before Earth was fully formed, was already cruising through the cosmos.
Now, let’s be clear, that 20 million years difference is a precise-sounding number. Some might call it a little clickbaity. The reality is, pinning down the exact age of something that old is tricky. The methods used to measure the age of a rock often come with a degree of uncertainty. Think of it more as being roughly the same age as the Earth, and the rest of the solar system.
Given that the universe is a pretty vast and mysterious place, the event itself is pretty wild. It’s one thing to read about meteorites, it’s another to picture one crashing through your roof! You’d be left wondering what to do. The homeowner, in particular, is probably looking at their situation and wondering just how to resolve the situation.
One of the initial thoughts that comes to mind is, does this homeowner get to profit from this astronomical event? That brings up another important question: what does his insurance cover? Some policies might be a little vague on the specifics of space debris. One of the initial comments points out that his insurance company only covers meteorites up to 10 million years old. That’s a real problem! In reality, most homeowner’s insurance policies should cover damage caused by falling objects, and a meteorite would likely fall into that category.
There are several more interesting points to consider. One of the biggest points is the “Act of God” clause, which is often included in homeowner’s policies. Will this event be classified as such? Often, “Acts of God” like hail damage are covered by insurance. However, the specific wording and interpretation of those clauses can vary, so the homeowner will likely be left to consider all of his options, including those that require legal counsel.
Another interesting angle here is how the scientists actually measure the age of such a space rock. This is a subject that uses some pretty advanced techniques. One possibility is something called Ar-Ar dating, which analyzes the radioactive decay of argon isotopes. Another method is U-Pb dating, where scientists look at the ratio of uranium and lead isotopes in certain minerals. Either method gets you into some very precise measurements, even when you’re talking about something that happened billions of years ago.
Of course, with any scientific measurement, there’s going to be a margin of error. The Earth’s age, for instance, is generally estimated to be around 4.54 billion years, give or take a few million. When you’re dealing with billions of years, those few million can seem like a rounding error.
One of the most common concerns in situations like this involves the issue of coverage. Will insurance cover the damage? Should the government step in? In many cases, insurance should cover the damage. If hail is covered, a falling object would be as well. It is certainly a rare occurrence.
Ultimately, the whole situation is one of those things that makes you step back and marvel at the sheer randomness of life. A rock from outer space, older than our own planet, just happens to find its way through someone’s roof. It’s a story with science, insurance, and a healthy dose of “wow” factor, all rolled into one.