What is Murchison meteorite?
[[File:Murchison crop.jpg|thumb|right|230px|The Murchison meteorite]] The '''Murchison''' meteorite is named after the place it fell: [[Murchison]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], [[Australia]]. It is large (over 100&nbsp;kg) and it was seen falling. It is one of the most studied [[meteorite]]s, since it belongs to a group of meteorites rich in [[organic compound]]s, known as [[carbon]]aceous [[chondrite]]s. On 28 September 1969 at about 10:58 am, a bright [[Meteoroid#Fireball|fireball]] was seen. It separated into three fragments before disappearing, leaving a cloud of smoke.<ref name=database /> About 30 seconds later, a tremor was heard. People found fragments over an area larger than 13&nbsp;km², with fragments up to 7&nbsp;kg. One, weighing 680 g, broke through a roof and fell in [[hay]].<ref name=database>[http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/metbull.php?code=16875 The Meteorite Society database]</ref> The mass is over 100&nbsp;kg. == The biochemistry == This type of meteorite is rich in [[carbon]].<ref>[http://www.psrd.hawaii.edu/PSRDglossary.html Planetary science research discoveries: glossary]</ref> Murchison contains over 15 [[amino acid]]s.<ref name=Kvenvolden>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC426569/pdf/pnas00130-0039.pdf Nonprotein amino acids from spark discharges and their comparison with the Murchison Meteorite amino acids]. Kvenvolden K. ''et al'' 1972. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA '''69''', 4, 809-811.</ref> The [[amino acids]] found in the Murchison meteorite can be (and have been) [[synthesis]]ed in laboratory experiments. This was done by the action of electric discharge on a mixture of [[methane]], [[nitrogen]], and water with traces of [[ammonia]].<ref name=Kvenvolden/> The amino acids were mostly [[racemic]]. This means the [[Chirality (chemistry)|chirality]] of their [[enantiomer]]s are almost equally left- and right-handed. This suggests they are not caused by terrestrial contamination. A complex mixture of [[alkane]]s was isolated as well, similar to that found in the [[M