Scientists say it is stardust from a meteorite found in Australia half a century ago. Their findings have been published in ‘Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences’.

The presolar grains in the meteorite are said to be up to seven billion years old. That would make them older than the sun.

For around three decades, the material has been analyzed at the University of Chicago. Researchers add that the material’s origins point to a ‘star baby boom’.

The Field Museum also says that only 5% of discovered meteorites contain this type of stardust.