> An enormous asteroid containing some of the oldest known cosmic materials was discovered in Antarctica on Jan. 5. > The 17-pound rock is made up of material potentially billions of years old, and is one of the rarest and most “exciting” finds, according to the BBC. More than 45,000 asteroids have been found in Antarctica over the last hundred years, but this most recent rock is pretty special. > Likely originating from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, the asteroid was discovered during an 11-day expedition by a group of international researchers, the Chicago Tribune noted. The team used specialized data and imaging tools to identify areas under the Antarctic ice where meteorites have landed throughout the history of our planet.