Researchers analyze fragments from interstellar meteor IM1 recovered in Pacific Ocean

A recent study analyzed fragments from the interstellar meteor IM1, recovered during an expedition in June 2023. Researchers identified about 850 fragments, with 20% showing unusual chemical compositions, classified as differentiated or "D-type" particles. The new research, published in Chemical Geology, examined the relationship between the fragments' shapes and their chemical makeup. Four morphological types were identified, with some showing features indicative of extraterrestrial origins, while others appeared to be terrestrial. Plans for a second expedition to the IM1 crash site are set for summer 2025. The team aims to retrieve larger pieces of the meteor, which entered the solar system at high speed and may have been technologically manufactured.