Do meteorites smell?
Most meteorites in museums have no smell. Some people who picked up freshly fallen meteorites have said they smelled a little like matches or burnt rock.
This is a great question, because most people never think about it!
A meteorite that has been sitting in a museum or a collection usually has no special smell at all. It smells just like a dry stone.
Freshly fallen meteorites are different. A few people who have found a meteorite within hours of it landing have described a smell like struck matches, gunpowder or burnt rock. Scientists think this may come from minerals that contain sulfur, the same element that gives matches their smell. When the meteorite heats up as it falls, a little sulfur may be released from its outer surface. Some rare meteorites called carbonaceous chondrites contain chemicals that may give off a faint smell, too.
There is one very important safety rule: never sniff a meteorite closely, lick it or taste it. Meteorites are not poisonous in a dangerous way, but they can be dusty, rusty and dirty, and fresh ones are precious to scientists. If you ever find one that has just fallen, pick it up using clean aluminium foil or a clean bag, keep it dry, and ask an adult to contact a museum. Your nose can wait for the scientists' report!