The term “inseki” is a Japanese word that translates directly to “meteorite” in English. It refers to a solid piece of debris, such as a rock or iron, originating from an object like a comet, asteroid, or meteoroid, that survives its passage through the Earth’s atmosphere and impacts the surface. For instance, a stony object recovered from the ground after a witnessed fall and confirmed to be of extraterrestrial origin would be identified as an inseki.
Meteorites, or inseki, provide valuable insights into the early solar system. Analysis of their composition reveals information about the building blocks of planets and the processes that occurred during their formation. Historically, the discovery and study of these objects have contributed significantly to our understanding of the age of the solar system and the prevalence of extraterrestrial materials in our planet’s geological record.
