Meteoroids are tiny asteroids or bits of comets that become meteors when they burn up in a planet's atmosphere, and meteorites when they strike the surface intact.
Live Science tells you everything you need to know about these falling space rocks, with articles about how many meteorites hit Earth every year, guides on how to watch the Perseid meteor shower and other spectacular celestial events, and detailed coverage of meteoroid research, including studies of meteorites containing all of the building blocks of DNA, the world's first "boomerang meteorite" and the oldest evidence of a meteor hitting Earth. So, to become a space rock savant like our expert writers and editors, check out the latest meteoroid news, features and articles at Live Science.
Discover more about meteoroids
—What's the difference between asteroids, comets and meteors?
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Bright-green fireball meteor caught exploding above famous Viking raid site in UKPhotographers caught a spectacular emerald-green fireball meteor streaking above Lindisfarne in northeast England, where Viking raiders famously killed and robbed Christian monks in the eighth century.
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I found a new meteor shower — and it comes from an asteroid getting baked to bits by the sunA NASA researcher in planetary sciences explains how he discovered a new meteor shower linked to a disintegrating asteroid.
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Cannonball-size meteorite crashes through roof of Texas home as multiple 'fireballs' rain down on the USA suspected space rock, around the size of a cantaloupe, was found in the bedroom of a Houston home after crashing through the building's roof. It is likely a fragment of one of several "fireball" meteors that exploded over the U.S. in the past week.
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Rare 'daytime fireball' meteor creates powerful sonic boom as 7-ton space rock explodes above eastern USA fridge-size space rock spectacularly broke apart over Ohio at 40,000 mph, creating a loud boom and a "fireball" that shone in the bright blue daytime sky. The rare sight, which exploded with the equivalent force of 250 tons of TNT, was also seen from space.
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Falling meteorite smashes hole in roof of German house after spectacular 'fireball' explosion over EuropeA German town has been peppered by meteorites after a stunning "fireball" exploded in the skies over central Europe. One extraterrestrial fragment landed in a bedroom after punching a soccer ball-size hole through the building's roof.
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Ursid meteor shower 2025: When and where to see 'shooting stars' on the longest night of the yearHere's how to see the Ursid meteor shower, which peaks in dark skies close to a new moon this year.
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See up to 150 'shooting stars' per hour this weekend as the Geminid meteor shower reaches its stunning peakThe Geminid meteor shower peaks this weekend! The Geminids peak overnight on Dec. 13 and 14, when up to 150 "shooting stars" per hour will rain down on Earth in a near-moonless night sky.
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100,000 mph 'comet fragment' explodes in green fireball over Great Lakes, eerie videos showA fireball lit up the skies over the Great Lakes in the early hours of Sunday and was visible for hundreds of miles.
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This week's Leonid meteor shower could be one of the best in years. Here's why.The Leonids peak overnight Nov. 16-17, offering up to 15 meteors per hour under dark, moonless skies.
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