# Who Owns a Meteorite? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 29, 2010, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-a-meteorite/526881 "2010-01-29T14:11:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-a-meteorite/526881/1 "2010-01-29T14:11:47Z")
A flaming space rock smashes through your roof and lands on your desk. Do you own it, or does the landlord? What if the rock embeds itself in your body? Inspired by: [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/28/AR2010012804235.html?hpid=artslot&sub=AR](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/28/AR2010012804235.html?hpid=artslot&sub=AR) This [website](http://geology.com/news/2007/01/who-owns-this-meteorite.html) states different rules for different countries. It says in the US, the landowner owns the rock, full stop. Is this really true? I would be surprised if this was fully settled legal precedent, but maybe it is. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-a-meteorite/526881/2 "2010-01-29T17:00:06Z")
I don’t know if it’s fully settled, but this case will no doubt go to court, and we won’t know until then. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-a-meteorite/526881/3 "2010-01-29T18:10:48Z")
I wish I could remember names, so I could provide a link. But 40-50 years ago a woman was _hit_ by a meteorite (result: a bruise). Publicity ensued, and her landlord filed suit to claim ownership. The whole situation wound up ruining the woman’s life. ---
**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-a-meteorite/526881/4 "2010-01-29T18:24:38Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > I wish I could remember names, so I could provide a link. But 40-50 years ago a woman was _hit_ by a meteorite (result: a bruise). Publicity ensued, and her landlord filed suit to claim ownership. The whole situation wound up ruining the woman’s life. Sounds like you’re thinking of the [Sylacauga meterorite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sylacauga_(meteorite)), specifically the “Hodges fragment” which hit Ann Hodges while she was napping. [This article](http://uanews.ua.edu/anews2004/nov04/meteorite112404.htm) gives a few more details, in particular noting that the landlord and the tenants settled out of court. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-a-meteorite/526881/5 "2010-01-29T21:34:05Z")
This OP is an excellent legal question I’d never pondered before. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-a-meteorite/526881/6 "2010-01-29T21:57:49Z")
You gotta say it would be fairly logical for the property owner to own any meteorite that arrives - not least because he will be the one responsible to fix any damage it caused. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-a-meteorite/526881/7 "2010-01-29T22:02:54Z")
I believe that in England, if a person has a legitimate reason to be on a parcel of land, and finds something there that the landowner didn’t know about, it’s the finder’s (unless it’s gold or silver, in which case they’re obligated to declare and sell it to the government, but it’s still the finder who gets paid for it). This doesn’t apply for someone who doesn’t have a legitimate reason to be on the land (like a burglar), but should for a renter. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-a-meteorite/526881/8 "2010-01-30T04:16:44Z")
That would be a very interesting case. Hmmm. In Ohio, unless the lease provided otherwise (highly unlikely), I would rule that the tenant owns it, regardless of whether it lodges in the rental property or in the tenant’s body, since the meteorite was not there at the beginning of the tenancy, and was not a fixture of the premises. The landlord would likely be responsible for repairs to the premises, since any damage would have been caused through no fault of the tenant, and in this state the landlord has a generalized duty to make repairs and keep the premises habitable. ---
**Author:** ![twhitt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@twhitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twhitt)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-a-meteorite/526881/9 "2010-01-30T04:37:33Z")
In Goddard v Winchell, the Supreme Court of Iowa ruled in 1892 that a meteorite is part of the land and that the landowner has ownership of the meteorite. > [@](#): > > Under the natural law of its government, it became a part of this earth and, we think, should be treated as such. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-a-meteorite/526881/10 "2010-01-30T13:55:33Z")
In that case, the meteorite [buried itself three feet into the soil](http://www.4lawnotes.com/showthread.php?p=664). Not quite the same as landing on a desk, well within the volume of space rented by the tenant. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-a-meteorite/526881/11 "2010-01-30T14:18:32Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > That would be a very interesting case. Hmmm. In Ohio, unless the lease provided otherwise (highly unlikely), I would rule that the tenant owns it, regardless of whether it lodges in the rental property or in the tenant’s body, since the meteorite was not there at the beginning of the tenancy, and was not a fixture of the premises. The landlord would likely be responsible for repairs to the premises, since any damage would have been caused through no fault of the tenant, and in this state the landlord has a generalized duty to make repairs and keep the premises habitable. I think it’s a simple rule of capture case. It’s neither lost nor mislaid property; it didn’t belong to anyone before now. Finders, keepers. It’s more complicated if the case is landowner vs. trespasser or if the meteorite gets embedded in the soil. OTOH, what if it were an ancient wallet that fell from space? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-a-meteorite/526881/12 "2010-01-30T14:22:21Z")
The meteorite belong to the Eldrich Alien Horror that is spawned from it. Simple. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-a-meteorite/526881/13 "2010-01-30T14:42:23Z")
> [@Gfactor](#): > > OTOH, what if it were an ancient wallet that fell from space? 😃 Wouldn’t that depend if there was a Social Security card in that helped to identify the original owner? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-a-meteorite/526881/14 "2010-01-30T14:56:14Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I believe that in England, if a person has a legitimate reason to be on a parcel of land, and finds something there that the landowner didn’t know about, it’s the finder’s (unless it’s gold or silver, in which case they’re obligated to declare and sell it to the government, but it’s still the finder who gets paid for it). This doesn’t apply for someone who doesn’t have a legitimate reason to be on the land (like a burglar), but should for a renter. I believe you’re referring to _F Keepers v. L Weepers_ ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-a-meteorite/526881/15 "2010-01-30T15:03:19Z")
In the U.K., some mineral rights belong to the Crown. [Cite](http://www.bgs.ac.uk/mineralsuk/planning/legislation/uk_minown.html). So you’re in luck if it’s an iron meteorite, but out of luck if it’s a gold one. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-a-meteorite/526881/16 "2010-01-30T17:57:37Z")
A similar case pending in Australia now, brought to my attention by **Noel Prosequi** : [http://www.goldcoastmail.com.au/story/2009/11/30/queenslanders-battle-over-meteorite/](http://www.goldcoastmail.com.au/story/2009/11/30/queenslanders-battle-over-meteorite/) ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-a-meteorite/526881/17 "2010-01-30T20:32:22Z")
Given my extensive experience with property law, I have the following to add: ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-a-meteorite/526881/18 "2010-01-30T22:57:03Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Given my extensive experience with property law, I have the following to add: Insightful as usual, **Bricker**. GAD! How _do_ you _do it?_😃 ---
**Author:** ![RedSwinglineOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a9adbd/32.png) [@RedSwinglineOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedSwinglineOne)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-a-meteorite/526881/19 "2010-02-04T16:04:51Z")
Nothing to add. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-a-meteorite/526881/20 "2010-02-04T17:43:49Z")
Same here, and I don’t even _have_ any experience with property law. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-owns-a-meteorite/526881.md?page=2)