According to Science Alert, what has been discovered is allabogdanite, a phosphate mineral that science has known for several decades through a meteorite that fell in Russia.
This mineral possesses components and crystal structures that are entirely different from earthly materials. It was later found in several other meteorites and confirmed as a distinctive material from extraterrestrial worlds.
Close-up of materials seemingly belonging to extraterrestrial worlds appearing near the Dead Sea – (Photo: American Mineralogist).
The study led by crystallographer Sergey Britvin from St. Petersburg University (Russia) indicates that this is the first time allabogdanite has been discovered in Earth materials, specifically in ancient sediments in the Negev Desert, an area near the southwestern coast of the Dead Sea.
Although this allabogdanite did not originate from space, the research team believes it was formed during a catastrophic ancient event. This is because this special material can only form under extremely high pressure, such as the intense impact of a large meteorite from a very distant past, which left no trace of impact in the surrounding area.
Another hypothesis is that it was formed during some upheaval in the Earth’s mantle. Geological processes accidentally brought the rock containing allabogdanite to the Negev Desert area. However, clear evidence for this has not been found either.
In a publication in American Mineralogist, the scientists express hope of finding more allabogdanite belonging to Earth elsewhere, thus gathering enough data to clarify the origins of this peculiar mineral.
