Cold Bokkeveld meteorite

The fall of the Cold Bokkeveld meteorite in 1838 was the first observed fall of a CM2 meteorite - a group of rocky, carbon-containing meteorites.

Since then, there have been a further 14 observed CM2 meteorite falls, although most of these meteorites were smaller than Cold Bokkeveld.

In fact, many of the micrometeorites that fall to Earth are made of CM-like material, meaning that the Earth accumulates many tonnes of it every year.

Scientists have also found water-containing minerals inside these meteorites, suggesting that the ancient bodies they broke away from held liquid water. These meteorites therefore could have brought this water - and potentially the building blocks of life - to our planet.

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