Ancient jewelry from space
The beads were discovered in an ancient Egyptian cemetery, strung together with gold and other precious materials, in 1911.
A research team from University College London used X-ray techniques to determine the beads were made from meteoric iron, which has a unique texture and makeup.
Ancient Egyptians crafted the beads by hammering pieces of meteorites into thin sheets, then rolling the metal into tubes. This process pre-dated iron-smelting by 2,000 years.