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A PhD student looking into what scientists regard as the most important space rock ever to be recovered in the UK has said: “It’s pretty exciting”. <\/p>\n
Niamh Topping, 23, is in her first year at the University of Leicester, studying water and rock reactions in the early solar system.<\/p>\n
The Winchcombe meteorite crashed on the Gloucestershire town of Winchcombe in 2021<\/a>.<\/p>\n Studies suggest it contains water that is a near-perfect match for that on Earth.<\/p>\n Ms Topping said: “By looking at something like Winchcombe, we’re effectively looking back about 4.6bn years into the past to when the planets and the Solar System were forming.<\/p>\n “So, it tells us more about how they formed and, sort of, where we came from as well.”<\/p>\n Video journalist: Chris Waring<\/i><\/p>\n Follow BBC East Midlands on <\/i>Facebook<\/a>, on <\/i>Twitter<\/a>, or on <\/i>Instagram<\/a>. Send your story ideas to <\/i>eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk<\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n