New Delhi, July 15 -- Scientists believe two meteorites found in the Sahara Desert in 2023 may have come from Mercury, the closest planet to the Sun. If confirmed, these would be the first meteorites ever found from Mercury.

Mercury is hard to study because it is very close to the Sun. Only two spacecraft, Mariner 10 and MESSENGER, have visited it so far. A third, BepiColombo, will reach there in 2026.

From Mars and the Moon, over 1,100 meteorites have reached Earth. However, Mercury has never been confirmed as a source.

Researchers now think Mercury, despite its size, might be able to send rock fragments into Space during asteroid impacts. Planets like Venus, although closer to Earth, may not be able to do the same due to their strong...