Green Meteorite From Mercury May Have Been Discovered In Morocco, A First From The Distant Planet

As scientists continue to explore the vast unknown that ominously waits outside Earth's atmosphere, any clues to help us better-understand our neighboring planets are cherished. Now, in a groundbreaking and exciting discovery, scientists may have found the first meteorite from Mercury.

The green rock, discovered in Morocco last year, could be the first rock to ever venture from the planet closest to the sun, according to meteorite scientist Anthony Irving, who revealed his findings this month at the 44^th annual Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in The Woodlands, Texas. His study claims that the rock, dubbed NWA 7325, did not come from an asteroid or Mars, but Mercury.

"It might be a sample from Mercury, or it might be a sample from a body smaller than Mercury but [which] is like Mercury," Irving said, adding that a severe impact could have shot NWA 7325 out from Mercury to Earth.

Although it's the first rock from Mercury discovered on our planet, it doesn't mean it's the only one. NWA 7325, which is comprised of 35 meteorite samples found in Morocco in 2012, dates back to roughly 4.56 billion years ago, leading scientists to believe that there could be much more buried in the Earth's soil.

Meteorites from Mars and Vesta, one of the largest asteroids in the solar system, are easy to identify. They have certain chemical makeups that make them distinct, but NWA 7325 doesn't resemble any space rock previously documented.

Irving believes that the rock came from a planet or asteroid that once had flowing magma on its surface. He claims that the rock could have been formed as "scum" on top of the cooling magma.

Irving also linked the data sent back from NASA's Messenger spacecraft that orbits Mercury to his new discovery. He claims that the planet's low magnetism closely resembles that found in NWA 7235. In addition, the rock's low iron content is also comparable to Mercury's surface.

If Messenger's mission is extended for another two years, its future investigations could verify Irving's hypothesis. If he were correct, his discovery would serve as yet another clue to the baffling mystery of the universe.