An analysis of the space rock, which crashed onto a driveway in the Winchcombe area of Gloucestershire, has revealed that it contains 11 per cent water and 2 per cent carbon.
The experts said their findings show that asteroids played a key role in “delivering the ingredients needed to kickstart oceans and life on the early Earth”.
Dr Luke Daly, a lecturer in planetary geoscience at the University of Glasgow and author on the paper said: “One of the biggest questions asked of the scientific community is: how did we get here?
“This analysis on the Winchcombe meteorite gives insight into how the Earth came to have water – the source of so much life.
“Researchers will continue to work on this specimen for years to come, unlocking more secrets into the origins of our solar system.”
The Winchcombe meteorite belongs to a rare class of rocks known as carbonaceous chondrites that comprise about 3 per cent of all meteorites collected on Earth and are thought to...