[Reading Science] "12 Trillion Won in One Rock?"... Lotto or Disaster, the Asteroid's Gift 'Meteorite'

Reference photo.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] It was confirmed belatedly that a 370m-sized asteroid brushed past Earth on the 6th, sending chills down the spines of Earthlings. If this asteroid, Apophis, had collided with Earth, it would have caused a tremendous disaster with an explosion force of thousands of megatons. Asteroids like Apophis can bring unexpected fortune or disaster to Earthlings. Fragments that break off get caught in Earth's gravity and fall, causing meteor showers, and the resulting 'meteorites' are the main players. Meteorites are sometimes sold at high prices worth hundreds of millions of won and welcomed as a 'lottery,' but they can also cause disasters such as fires and tsunamis due to their tremendous explosions.

◇ 'Finding One Is Like Winning the Lottery'

According to the '2020 Space White Paper' published by the Ministry of Science and ICT on the 14th, more than 60,000 meteorites have fallen on Earth so far, and the international market price is $5 to $10 per gram. This is why finding a meteorite is described as hitting the 'sky lottery.' The most expensive meteorite discovered on Earth to date is the 'Pukan Pallasite,' found by a Uyghur resident in the Gobi Desert. When this meteorite was first discovered, the initial discoverer sold it for just 30,000 won, but later the owner sold it to the U.S. for 12 trillion won, making it the most expensive meteorite.

▲Jinju Meteorite. [Photo by Online Community]

In Korea, the 'Jinju Meteorite' is famous. On the night of March 19, 2014, a bright meteor was seen nationwide, and four meteorites were found in Jinju. At that time, rumors circulated that the meteorites were worth hundreds of millions of won, causing citizens to gather in groups to search the hills, resulting in a commotion. According to related laws, ownership of meteorites is guaranteed to the first discoverer. The government offered a total of 350 million won to purchase the meteorites, but the owner demanded a huge sum of 27 billion won, and the purchase failed. Since then, the whereabouts of the Jinju meteorites have become a top secret that 'even the daughter-in-law does not know.'

On the early morning of September 23 last year, a meteor shower poured over the Korean Peninsula. On social networks (SNS), posts saying "Let's go pick up meteorites right now" flooded in. Reports came in nationwide that fairly large meteors fell in Sejong, Osan in Gyeonggi, Gwangju, Bucheon, Daegu, and other places. However, no meteorites have been found in Korea since the Jinju meteorites.

The reason why finding meteorites is as difficult as winning the lottery is that they are not easy to find. Tens of thousands of tons of dust and meteorites fly to Earth from space, but most meteorites are fast and eroded by air friction, making it difficult to maintain their shape. Also, rocks from more stable spaces than Earth undergo weathering and disappear once they enter Earth, and most meteorites fall into mountains or seas, which are additional reasons.

The appearance of asteroid fragments that fell in Chelyabinsk, Russia in 2013 (Photo by AP Yonhap News)

◇ Holding the Secrets of the Universe, 'Priced as You Wish'

Why are meteorites so expensive? Because meteorites are called 'time capsules from space flying to Earth.' A representative example is the meteorite 'NWA7533' that fell in the Sahara Desert in Africa in 2013. Although it weighs less than 100g, it became a superstar in the meteorite world upon discovery. This is because the formation period of this meteorite was revealed to be a staggering 4.4 billion years ago, making it the oldest known Martian meteorite. Scientists confirmed through uranium isotope analysis inside the meteorite and evidence collected by rovers sent to explore Mars that this meteorite came from Mars. This small meteorite was formed 4.4 billion years ago when volcanic and crustal activities were very active on Mars, wandered through space, and eventually fell to Earth.

▲The world's largest hover meteorite weighing 65 tons. [Photo provided by National Gwacheon Science Museum]

The largest meteorite found on Earth is the Hoba meteorite, which fell 80,000 years ago and was discovered in 1920; it is protected by the Namibian government. At the time of discovery, it was as big as a house and weighed a whopping 66 tons. Recently, a huge meteorite recovered from Lake Chebarkul near the Ural Mountains in Russia in February 2013 attracted attention. This meteorite gained further interest as seven gold medals containing fragments of it were made for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

▲Imagined image of an asteroid colliding with Earth. [Photo by NASA]

◇ Could Cause a Massive Disaster

But what if a gigantic meteorite with a diameter of 1 km fell? Scientists predict that tremendous heat and pressure could cause a 'catastrophe' even before impact, starting from the atmosphere. In fact, in 1908, a meteorite about 40m in diameter fell in the Tunguska region of Siberia. Fortunately, it was a forested area, so there were no casualties, but a 26 km radius of forest burned, and nearby residents heard a tearing loud noise, causing significant damage. In February 2013, a meteorite 16.8m in diameter and weighing 10,000 tons exploded over Russia, with an explosive force 33 times that of the Hiroshima atomic bomb, causing buildings to collapse and injuring over 1,000 people. Meteorites can be a romantic sight in the night sky or a dream of sudden fortune for some, and a once-in-a-lifetime challenge for researchers. However, if a giant meteorite falls, it could be a massive disaster for humanity.