The discovery of a meteorite in the Sahara Desert has revealed a lost planet that vanished from our solar system, challenging our understanding of planetary formation. This extraordinary find, known as NWA 12774, has scientists rethinking the origins of angrites, a rare family of volcanic stones. The meteorite's chemistry, low in silica, initially suggested a small asteroid origin. However, the presence of aluminum-rich clinopyroxene crystals within it, formed under immense pressure, points to a much larger, more complex story. The pressure required to create these crystals is beyond what a small asteroid could ever generate, indicating a world the size of our moon or even approaching Mars. This protoplanet, a planetary embryo, may have met its end in a violent collision, flinging its fragments across space. The implications are profound, suggesting that Earth's history may have been shaped by the remains of such lost worlds. This discovery not only expands our knowledge of the solar system's early years but also raises intriguing questions about the potential for undiscovered protoplanets in museum drawers, waiting to be studied and understood.
