"Unveiling Earth's Origins: Germany's 90-Minute Preparation for Beach Ball-Sized Meteorite Impact"

On January 21, a beach ball-sized meteorite from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter shattered into dozens of pieces outside Berlin, Germany. Meteor hunters, including professionals and hobbyists, mobilized to search for the fragments, which were quickly located in a predicted strewn field. The meteorite, named 2024 Bx1, is a rare type called aubrite, and its recovery will provide insights into the formation of Earth and the solar system. Despite the short 90-minute warning before impact, NASA's Planetary Defense Officer reassures that larger objects would be spotted much earlier, and the notification process is more formal.