Georgia Meteorite Madness: When Fire from the Sky Starts a Human Treasure Hunt

The result was a cross between a research expedition, scavenger hunt, and pilgrimage.

From seasoned space rock hunters to curious beginners, meteorite hunters swarmed to Georgia like moths to a cosmic flame.

"Oh My God": The Finding Moment

Ed Albin took a few steps across a dusty construction site in Henry County, and the universe answered.

Crouching over a little, inconspicuous rock that was dark, thick, and slightly magnetic, he murmured, "Oh my God." Just enough to attract his pole's rare-earth magnet. That pull was confirmation, faint yet unmistakable. This was no typical rock. The stars had dropped it.

Albin, a former planetarium astronomer and professor of space science, has seen his fair share of space-related items. However, this one? This one was unique. As he carefully sealed the 14.33-gram meteorite into a plastic display box and tucked it into his pocket like a holy relic, he declared, "The most beautiful space rock I have ever found."

He had prayed to the universe in a small voice before discovering it: "Please, universe creator, help me find one of your magnificent stones."

Side Projects and Space Rocks

Between science and hustling, meteorite hunting occupies an odd niche. Yes, they are cosmic remnants that were ripped loose from far-off asteroids millions of years ago. However, they also have a monetary value.

Now? Fragments of Georgia fireballs are selling for $100 per gram.

Pieces sold for $400 per gram back in 2022, following a meteorite fall close to Junction City.

All of a sudden, the dusty fields behind McDonough housing complexes appear more like potential gold mines—or rather, space mines—than backyards-in-progress.

A Tribe That Pursuits the Heavens

Meteorite hunters are a unique species that combines elements of science, gambling, and nomadic living. They also abandon everything when a fireball strikes Earth.

Over the years, they have developed a close-knit network, meeting people in tiny places like McDonough, Georgia, and Arizona. Professors are among them. There are thrill-seekers among us. Some are meteorite royalty, such as Steve Arnold. 

(Yes, that Steve Arnold from Meteorite Men on the Science Channel.)

Hours after the fall, Arnold drove into Georgia in a bright yellow truck, just out of Arkansas. No ticket for a return. He once chased space rocks in Chicago for forty-four days. At a different moment? Texas for 28 days. "It is a way of life," he stated.

And one of the largest pieces discovered yet in Georgia? picked up by a 9-year-old.

"Anyone can do it if a child can," Arnold smiled.

Introducing the Meteorite Dog, Piper

Even the four-legged pals get in on the action.

The furry mascot of the meteorite-hunting circuit is Piper, a shepherd-like rescue mutt from South Carolina. Carl Dietrich, her human, converted his vehicle into a space-rock-mobile that could move and had a bed that could be folded out. Only air conditioning and intergalactic dreams—no tents or hotels.

He chuckled and said, "Piper is here for emotional support." She also enjoys meeting new people and taking in the scent of grass. She is having the time of her life.

After watching Meteorite Men, Dietrich became addicted. The actual igniting, though? 

At the age of 18, he witnessed a fireball streak across the sky. He has been pursuing stardust on wheels ever since.

Adult Egg Hunts

Finding meteorites is more about magic than money for Iliana and Ari Machiz.

Armed with a competitive mentality and an umbrella, Iliana called it "an egg search for adults." They have intrigued people ever since they were first discovered in 2022.

She pointed to her husband and remarked, "I started because of him, but I keep going because of the thrill." And it is addictive, I will accept that.

Nevertheless, she half-teased as she smiled when Ed Albin discovered his "beauty" that morning, saying, "99% of me is so thrilled for him. However, that 1%? That is the part where I wish I had done it.

The Cosmic Bond

Why do individuals choose to sleep in their automobiles, crawl through muddy construction sites, and fly across the country because of meteorites?

Perhaps it is the excitement of the hunt. Perhaps it is the cash. Perhaps, though, it is the shivering wonder of holding something that is genuinely alien to our world.

A meteorite is the unadulterated truth in a world full of plastic, graphics, and manufactured things. A stone thrown through space, fashioned in the emptiness, and brought into your hands.

Why didn't you pursue that?