Meteorites : The story of our solar system

Meteorites are natural objects that have fallen from space to the Earth's surface.

Once considered bad omens, they are now recognised as a unique window onto the processes that forged the formation of the solar system 4,570 million years ago.

They reveal how impacts have shaped and modified planets, asteroids and moons; and they even contain evidence of astrophysical phenomena that occurred long before our solar system was born.

In Meteorites, leading experts from the Natural History Museum, London provide a compelling and cutting edge introduction to the evolving science of meteoritics.

They reveal what meteorites are, where they are most likely to be found, and the type of celestial bodies that they hail from.

The book contains all the latest information on key meteorite falls and considers some of the big questions that still remain - such as whether our solar system is unusual in creating a planet that supports life, and if it is likely we will find complex life elsewhere.

With a mix of photographs, diagrams and maps, Meteorites is essential reading for all those with an interest in the nature of our solar system.