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Scientists make UNPRECEDENTED discovery of rare and ancient mineral, older than Earth, in meteorite that traveled through space for billions of years; Meet Krotite!

Written by Ruth Rodrigues
Published 02/02/2025 às 09:23
Meet Krotite, a rare and ancient mineral discovered by scientists that could change our understanding of how the universe formed.
Photo: CalTech

Meet Krotite, a rare and ancient mineral discovered by scientists that could change our understanding of how the universe formed.

A fascinating discovery is attracting the attention of scientists: a mineral extremely rare and ancient, found in meteorites that have traveled for billions of years. Krotite, as it is called, is not only rare, but also a very ancient mineral, which challenges our understanding of the formation of the universe and the history of the Solar System.

The discovery of this rare and ancient mineral offers scientists a unique insight into the earliest moments in the formation of the Solar System.

The discovery of a new mineral in meteorites

In 2011, scientists made a discovery extraordinary when he found krotite, a rare and ancient mineral, in a meteorite called NWA 1934.

This meteorite had traveled through the cosmos for billions of years before falling to Earth.

Krotite, a new mineral discovered by scientists!
Photo: CalTech

The discovery of this rare and ancient mineral is crucial to understanding the conditions of deep space and how minerals began to form.

Krotite, a mineral with a unique composition, could only have formed at extreme temperatures, higher than those found on our planet, making it a rare and ancient mineral on our Earth.

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Characteristics and formation of Krotite

Krotite is a mineral composed of calcium, aluminum and oxygen.

This mineral forms only under exceptional conditions, with temperatures so high that they are comparable to those found in star-forming regions or in the disk that gave rise to our Sun.

These extreme conditions are typical of ancient places, such as the solar nebula, where the Solar System began to form, about 4,6 billion years ago.

This rare and ancient mineral offers a privileged view of the environment that existed at the beginning of the Solar System.

The relevance of the mineral for scientists

For scientists, krotite is a unique window into the early Solar System, a rare and ancient mineral that reveals secrets about how planets and other celestial bodies formed.

Meteorites like NWA 1934 act as time capsules, preserving minerals like krotite in their original state, allowing scientists to study these rare and ancient minerals as they were billions of years ago.

Ao study these minerals, scientists can better understand the formation of our own planet.

Krotite and its secrets

A discovery of krotite is one of the most important in modern science.

This rare and ancient mineral not only offers clues about the early Solar System, but also connects us to Earth in unexpected ways.

For example, certain types of aluminous cement have a composition nearly identical to that of krotite, a rare and ancient mineral that has existed for billions of years.

Through this discovery, scientists can learn more about how the Solar System formed and even about new possibilities for materials here on Earth.

Krotite reminds us of the cosmic forces that shaped the universe and how rare and ancient minerals can tell us much about the formation of our planet.

Source: SoCientifica

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Ruth Rodrigues

Graduated in Biological Sciences from the State University of Rio Grande do Norte (UERN), she works as a writer and scientific disseminator.

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