Murchison meteorite
Carbonaceous chondrite that fell near Murchison, Victoria, Australia on 28 September 1969. One of the most-studied meteorites in astrobiology because of its rich and well-preserved prebiotic organic inventory, including amino acids, nucleobases, and hexamethylenetetramine.
Astrobiology relevance
Murchison is the canonical case for exogenous organic delivery to early Earth. Its analyses have repeatedly been used to anchor “in-situ vs. exogenous” debates over the origin of life. amy-williams cites Murchison alongside Bennu in the TIME writeup (src-mars-organics-fresh-clues-2026-04) of the Curiosity SAM/TMAH organics result.