Allende meteorite (IMAGE) University of Chicago Caption A cross-section of a piece of the Allende meteorite. The beads of glass inside these meteorites are called chondrules. Scientists think they are bits of rock left over from the debris that was floating around billions of years ago, which eventually coalesced into the planets we now know and love. Credit James St. John/CC-by-2.0. Usage Restrictions Credit must be given to the creator. License CC BY Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.