Researchers have used magnetism to determine, for the first time, when asteroids that are rich in water and amino acids first arrived in the inner solar system.

The research also gives scientists data that can be applied to the discovery of new exoplanets.

«There is special interest in defining this history — in reference to the huge number of exoplanet discoveries — to deduce whether events might have been similar or different in exo-solar systems,» says John Tarduno, the William R. Kenan, Jr., Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and dean of research for Arts, Sciences & Engineering at Rochester. «This is another component of the search for other habitable planets.»

Solving a Paradox Using a Meteorite in Mexico

Some meteorites are pieces of debris from outer space objects such as asteroids. After breaking apart from their «parent bodies,» these pieces are able to survive passing through the atmosphere and eventually hit the surface of a planet or moon.

Studying the magnetization of meteorites can give researchers a better idea of when the objects formed and where they were located early in the solar system’s history.

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Materials provided by University of Rochester. Original written by Lindsey Valich. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.