Meteorite hits farmland in Shijiazhuang. The heaviest single was 35 kg. Hundreds of people searched for the treasure throughout the night.

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Shijiazhuang, Hebei province recently experienced a rare bolide fall event. On the evening of November 6, a boulder flew across the sky over northern China and then crashed into the Luquan district of Shijiazhuang city. Meteorites were scattered around farms and factories, causing hundreds of “meteorite hunters” from across the country to arrive at the scene to search throughout the night. The latest news shows that the largest single meteorite that fell this time weighed 35 kilograms, and a large number of fragments of different sizes were recovered.

According to Beijing News, on November 8, meteorite hunter Yu Bin found a meteorite weighing about 20 kilograms at the home of a local farmer. It is being speculated that this could be the main part of the bolide crash. Metal particles can be seen in the section of the meteorite, which is said to be related to the colored light of the bolide that night. Yu Bin plans to negotiate with farmers to buy and donate some samples to the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

According to the IT House report on the 10th, the weight of the largest single meteorite that fell this time was 35 kilograms. The meteorite picked up by local villagers is brown in color, has a cement-like texture and can be absorbed by a magnet. After initial identification, the specimen belongs to the L6 type ordinary chondrite meteorite, which is not rare in the meteorite market. Previously, the transaction price was around 100 yuan per gram (about 15 US dollars).

However, the value of this meteorite lies not only in its weight, but also in the fact that it is a fallen meteorite. Because it was found soon after entering Earth from space, it is less affected by ground weathering and pollution, and may retain relatively complete original material. It has scientific research importance for studying the early formation of the Solar System and predicting the orbits of celestial bodies.

After the news came out, a large number of meteorite enthusiasts carrying metal detectors rushed to Luquan District overnight, and some even traveled to the provinces to search for treasures. However, the crowding also caused problems to local residents. Some explorers entered farmland without permission, trampled crops, and even entered private factories and lands without permission, leading to controversy.

Who the meteorite actually belongs to has also become the focus of attention from the outside world. Currently, China has not enacted any laws specifically regarding ownership of meteorites. According to the lawyer, if the meteorite has important scientific research value and contains natural resources, it can be considered state ownership according to Article 250 of the Civil Code; If it does not have significant scientific research value, the principle of preemption may apply and the person who found it may acquire ownership. If the discoverer hands over a meteorite with scientific research value to the country, he may also receive a corresponding reward.

Regarding whether meteorites contain radiation, professionals say that although meteorites are exposed to cosmic rays in space, the content of cosmogenic nuclides produced is extremely low, and radiation levels are generally lower than in everyday ground rocks. Generally, close contact will not pose a threat to human health. Only certain types of meteorites may have slightly higher radioactivity.