Did it fall from the sky?

you found something

Let's work out what it is.

Meteorites are the oldest solid objects you can hold — older than the Earth itself. They are also genuinely rare, which is exactly why it is worth checking properly rather than guessing. Eight tests, about ten minutes, mostly with things in your kitchen.

Whatever the answer turns out to be, you will finish knowing what your rock actually is — and every one of them has a story worth having.

How would you like to do this?

The picture route shows you what each thing looks like before it asks. Where a real term exists you will be told it, so you can use it with a geologist later.

Photograph it

← back to the instruments  ·  identify an ordinary rock