Why is Antarctica popular for finding meteorites?
Meteorites are scientifically valuable because they represent samples of a variety of asteroids and planets, like the Moon and Mars. Studying them in our laboratories has led to important insights into the origin and evolution of our Solar System and planets. At present, Antarctic meteorites dominate the inventory of the world’s known meteorites, and these samples have provided us with access to new types of planetary and asteroidal materials. Both hot and cold desert regions of the world are some of the best hunting grounds for meteorites. This is not because there are any more meteorites that fall there than any other place on Earth, but because the conditions in these places are such that meteorites are easier to find. Antarctica in particular has proven to be one of the best places in the world for finding meteorites. This is because the geological and environmental conditions on some ice sheets in Antarctica serve to concentrate and preserve the meteorites that have fallen there.