New finds in the Bernese Jura: meteorite treasure reaches record size
More and more fragments of the Twannberg meteorite are being found in the Bernese Jura; over 2,200 pieces are known and the rare iron meteorite offers rich insights for researchers.
Published on 31/08/2026 - 16:50 GMT+2
In the canton of Bern, above Lake Biel, on Twannberg and Mont Sujet, lies one of Europe's most important meteorite strewn fields. Fragments of an extraordinary celestial body have been unearthed there time and again for decades.
The number of known finds has now risen to more than 2,200. This means the extent of the meteorite fall is significantly greater than initially assumed.
The Twannberg meteorite did not hit the Earth as a single large block, but exploded as it entered the atmosphere. Its debris was scattered over an area of around six kilometres in what is now the Bernese Jura.
Scientists estimate that the celestial body struck the Earth around 175,000 years ago. Originally it is thought to have measured between four and 20 metres across and to have weighed at least 250 tonnes.
First discovery in 1984
The story of the meteorite find began on 9 May 1984. At the time, a Swiss farmer discovered an unusual block weighing around 15 kilograms in a field. At first it was unclear what it was. Subsequent analysis showed that the find consisted of iron and did indeed come from outer space.
In the decades that followed, further fragments were discovered. It was above all the systematic use of metal detectors that led to a sharp increase in the number of known pieces.
"Ten years ago there were 400 fragments, now there are more than 2,200," explained geologist Beda Hofmann from Bern's Natural History Museum to Swiss broadcaster SRF.
Extremely rare meteorite
The Twannberg meteorite belongs to the group of iron meteorites and is classified as a member of the extremely rare IIG group. It is so far the only known IIG iron meteorite in Europe. This type of meteorite is characterised, among other things, by an unusually low nickel content and a high phosphorus content. Only a handful of specimens of this class are known worldwide.
For science, the fragments are particularly valuable: they can provide clues to the composition and evolution of celestial bodies and offer a glimpse into the early history of our solar system.
Glaciers helped to distribute the fragments
The finds are also of interest for research into the history of the Swiss landscape.
According to experts, some of the newly discovered fragments were transported by glaciers. Around 175,000 years ago, huge glaciers covered large parts of the Swiss Plateau – in places the ice sheet was more than a kilometre thick. Because the new finds have been discovered at higher altitudes than previous fragments, they can offer fresh insights into the vast masses of ice during the penultimate ice age.
In this sense, the finds are witnesses to two eras: they originally came from outer space, but later became part of Earth's history and were shaped by ice-age landscape processes.
Search continues
The search on Twannberg and Mont Sujet is far from over; researchers and meteorite hunters are continuing to comb the area with metal detectors for new remains.
That is, however, more difficult than it sounds, as the soil also contains metal objects that have nothing to do with a meteorite, such as aluminium foil or nails. Anyone wishing to search also needs a permit from the appropriate archaeological service.
The discoveries highlight the untapped potential of Switzerland's meteorite field: with every additional fragment, researchers learn more about the original celestial body and the story of its impact.
