Glass from space? Scientists reveal alien finds from an ancient asteroid impact, but a key piece of the cosmic puzzle remains missing

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In the deserts of southern Australia, tiny glassy fragments have puzzled scientists for decades. These mysterious objects, forged in extreme conditions, are not the result of volcanic activity or human hands. Instead, researchers say they are the fingerprints of a powerful asteroid impact that struck Earth millions of years ago. But here’s the catch: the crater that should have marked this cataclysm is nowhere to be found.

A new kind of tektite

The study, published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters and highlighted in a Curtin University report, examined thousands of glassy samples stored in the South Australian Museum. From this collection, researchers identified 417 unusual pieces that didn’t match the chemical signature of known tektites. Further analysis in France confirmed that at least six of them were chemically identical to rare samples first discovered decades ago.
“These glasses are unique to Australia and have recorded an ancient impact event we did not even know about,” said Fred Jourdan, geochemist at Curtin University, in the report.
The team named these distinct fragments ananguites, honoring the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara people who call themselves Anangu, meaning “human being.”

Scientists have discovered unusual glass fragments in southern Australia, believed to be remnants of a massive asteroid impact about 11 million years ago. (Image: Musolino et al., doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2025.119600.)

The mystery of the missing crater

Tektites form when an asteroid collides with Earth, melts part of the surface, and ejects molten debris across vast distances. Such an event typically leaves behind a massive crater. Yet in this case, scientists have been unable to locate it.
Possible sites include regions of Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, or the Philippines, where volcanic activity or erosion could have concealed or erased the scar. “These tiny pieces of glass are like little time capsules from deep in our planet’s history,” Jourdan explained, emphasizing the challenge of uncovering their true origin.

Why it matters for the future

The discovery suggests that Earth may have experienced more large asteroid impacts than scientists previously thought. If events capable of producing new tektite fields have gone unnoticed until now, our planet’s impact history could be far richer — and more concerning — than assumed. “Understanding when and how often large asteroids have struck Earth also helps us assess the risk of future impacts, which is important for planetary defense,” Jourdan noted in the Curtin University release.

For now, the ananguites sit as silent evidence of a disaster whose crater remains hidden. These glassy shards are more than just geological curiosities; they are cosmic breadcrumbs, hinting at an untold story of Earth’s violent encounters with space.

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