Glass from the Sky: Tektites, Museums, and Hidden Craters

Tektites are natural glass made when a meteorite hits Earth and melts surface rock. Museums in Australia and other countries keep many tektite pieces in their collections and on display. These dark, glassy shards often have smooth, rounded shapes because they cooled while flying through the air. People have used some Australites as tools and ornaments long ago.

The Australasian strewn field is the largest and youngest tektite area and is about 800,000 years old. Other tektite fields are much older, sometimes millions of years old. Scientists study museum samples to learn the age and origin of each piece, so they can tell which impact made it. Museums help preserve these rare glass stones for research and for visitors.