Posted on 07/02/2008 3:27:51 PM PDT by blam
Exploding asteroid theory strengthened by new evidence located in Ohio, Indiana
Space & Earth science / Earth Sciences
Ken Tankersley seen working in the field in a cave in this publicity photo from the National Geographic Channel.
Geological evidence found in Ohio and Indiana in recent weeks is strengthening the case to attribute what happened 12,900 years ago in North America -- when the end of the last Ice Age unexpectedly turned into a phase of extinction for animals and humans -- to a cataclysmic comet or asteroid explosion over top of Canada.
A comet/asteroid theory advanced by Arizona-based geophysicist Allen West in the past two years says that an object from space exploded just above the earth's surface at that time over modern-day Canada, sparking a massive shock wave and heat-generating event that set large parts of the northern hemisphere ablaze, setting the stage for the extinctions.
Now University of Cincinnati Assistant Professor of Anthropology Ken Tankersley, working in conjunction with West and Indiana Geological Society Research Scientist Nelson R. Schaffer, has verified evidence from sites in Ohio and Indiana -- including, locally, Hamilton and Clermont counties in Ohio and Brown County in Indiana -- that offers the strongest support yet for the exploding comet/asteroid theory.
Samples of diamonds, gold and silver that have been found in the region have been conclusively sourced through X-ray diffractometry in the lab of UC Professor of Geology Warren Huff back to the diamond fields region of Canada.
The only plausible scenario available now for explaining their presence this far south is the kind of cataclysmic explosive event described by West's theory. "We believe this is the strongest evidence yet indicating a comet impact in that time period," says Tankersley.
Ironically, Tankersley had gone into the field with West believing he might be able to disprove West's theory.
Tankersley was familiar through years of work in this area with the diamonds, gold and silver deposits, which at one point could be found in such abundance in this region that the Hopewell Indians who lived here about 2,000 years ago engaged in trade in these items.
Prevailing thought said that these deposits, which are found at a soil depth consistent with the time frame of the comet/asteroid event, had been brought south from the Great Lakes region by glaciers.
"My smoking gun to disprove (West) was going to be the gold, silver and diamonds," Tankersley says. "But what I didn't know at that point was a conclusion he had reached that he had not yet made public -- that the likely point of impact for the comet wasn't just anywhere over Canada, but located over Canada's diamond-bearing fields. Instead of becoming the basis for rejecting his hypothesis, these items became the very best evidence to support it."
Additional sourcing work is being done at the sites looking for iridium, micro-meteorites and nano-diamonds that bear the markers of the diamond-field region, which also should have been blasted by the impact into this region.
Much of the work is being done in Sheriden Cave in north-central Ohio's Wyandot County, a rich repository of material dating back to the Ice Age.
Tankersley first came into contact with West and Schaffer when they were invited guests for interdisciplinary colloquia presented by UC's Department of Geology this spring.
West presented on his theory that a large comet or asteroid, believed to be more than a mile in diameter, exploded just above the earth at a time when the last Ice Age appeared to be drawing to a close.
The timing attached to this theory of about 12,900 years ago is consistent with the known disappearances in North America of the wooly mammoth population and the first distinct human society to inhabit the continent, known as the Clovis civilization. At that time, climatic history suggests the Ice Age should have been drawing to a close, but a rapid change known as the Younger Dryas event, instead ushered in another 1,300 years of glacial conditions. A cataclysmic explosion consistent with West's theory would have the potential to create the kind of atmospheric turmoil necessary to produce such conditions.
"The kind of evidence we are finding does suggest that climate change at the end of the last Ice Age was the result of a catastrophic event," Tankersley says.
Currently, Tankersley can be seen in a new documentary airing on the National Geographic channel. The film "Ancient Asteroids" is part of that network's "Naked Science" series.
The new discoveries made working with West and Schaffer will be incorporated into two more specials that Tankersley is currently involved with -- one for the PBS series "Nova" and a second for the History Channel that will be filming Tankersley and his UC students in the field this summer. Another documentary, this one being produced by the Discovery Channel and the British public television network Channel 4, will also be following Tankersley and his students later this summer.
As more data continues to be compiled, Tankersley, West and Schaffer will be publishing about this newest twist in the search to explain the history of our planet and its climate.
Climate change is a favorite topic for Tankersley. "The ultimate importance of this kind of work is showing that we can't control everything," he says. "Our planet has been hit by asteroids many times throughout its history, and when that happens, it does produce climate change."
Source: University of Cincinnati
Thanks for the post. I enjoy and appreciate current news regarding science, specifically news regarding astronomy.
Science/Astronomy would be ideal for this topic, but we don't have this category.
Or is General/Chat/Science/Astronomy a new category? Shouldn't other categories be renamed, also? Like:
Religion/Astrology
Smokey Backroom/Dark Matter ?
The Cycle of Cosmic Catastrophes:
Flood, Fire, and Famine
in the History of Civilization
by Richard Firestone,
Allen West, and
Simon Warwick-Smith
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Canadian diamonds in Indiana? Who knew? I guess I’ll be digging up my back yard this weekend looking to strike it rich. Just my luck and Canada will claim ownership like Spain does with sunken ships.
...and now you know the *real* reason the Soviet Union, oops, I mean Russia, has tried to claim the Arctic Ocean... ;’)
This is very big news and explains extremely important changes regarding development of climate and life in North America 12000 years ago. It also explains the total destruction of the civilization here at that time.
Or is this another anti-science pre-purge warning?
Hmmmmm. Doesn't that make this news, business/economy, foreign affairs, government?
(just stirring the pot)...
Thanks guys, as always for the interesting posts. This one comes with the added fun of a Moderator scuffle! =)
Clearly science is about as newsworthy as Paris Hilton, although possibly less interesting. *headdesk*
the current list:
Ancient Atomic Warfare - Religious texts and geological evidence
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Discovery News | Sept. 28, 2005 | Jennifer Viegas
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Scientist: Comets Blasted Early Americans
ap on Yahoo | 10/28/05 | Meg Kinnard - ap
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Canada.com | Monday, May 14, 2007 | Margaret Munro
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Diamonds tell tale of comet that killed off the cavemen
Guardian | 5-20-07 | Robin McKie
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Catastrophic Comet Chilled and Killed Ice Age Beasts (and Clovis people)
Live Science | 05/21/07 | Jeanna Bryner
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Oregon Researchers Involved In New Clovis-Age Impact Theory
Eureka Alert
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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1838660/posts
Comet May Have Doomed Mammoths
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Ice Age Ends Smashingly: Did A Comet Blow Up Over Eastern Canada?
(More) (Carolina Bays)
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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1843831/posts
Climate alarmists lose another piece of evidence
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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1848385/posts
Comet Theory Collides With Clovis Research,
May Explain Disappearance of Ancient People
University of South Carolina(USC News) | June 28, 2007 | Staff
Posted on 08/04/2007 2:29:34 AM EDT by ForGod’sSake
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NSF Press Release: Comet May Have Exploded
Over North America 13,000 Years Ago
National Science Foundation Press Release | August 14, 2007 | Cheryl Dybas, NSF
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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1881784/posts
Research Team Says Extraterrestrial Impact
To Blame For Ice Age Extinctions
Eureka Alert | Northern Arizona University - Lisa Nelson
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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1902003/posts
Cosmic blast may have killed off megafauna
Scientists say early humans doomed, too
Boston Globe | September 27, 2007 | Colin Nickerson
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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1902154/posts
Cosmic blast may have killed off megafauna
Scientists say early humans doomed, too
Boston Globe | September 25, 2007 | Colin Nickerson
Posted on 09/26/2007 9:11:48 AM EDT by baynut
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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
October 9, 2007, Vol. 104 | R. B. Firestone, et. al.
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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1904474/posts
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amazon | Oct. 8, 2007
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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1908525/posts
Did Comets Cause Ancient American Extinctions?
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Posted on 05/07/2008 6:40:10 PM PDT by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2012792/posts
Al Goodyear And The Secrets Of Ancient Americans
Free Times | 5-14/20-2008 | Ron Aiken
Posted on 05/15/2008 3:25:21 PM PDT by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2016537/posts
Life Survived Catastrophic Space Rock Impact [Chesapeake Bay area]
Space.com | June 26, 2008 | Jeanna Bryner
Posted on 06/26/2008 8:04:37 PM PDT by ETL
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2037094/posts
First Humans To Settle Americas Came From Europe, Not From Asia....
Science Daily | 7-1-08
Posted on 07/03/2008 4:55:14 AM PDT by Renfield
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2040167/posts
;’) Historically speaking, that falls under “bearding the lion in his den”. Or, in the context of Russia, “don’t poke the bear”. :’D
Science has to share one with Paris Hilton?
Gentlemen, (and Lady) we need a Science Forum.
It's been my observation that General/Chat is where real news goes to die. People who thirst for substantive news simply don't go there because of all the Paris Hilton crap.
May I suggest that we consider adding a Science/Technoloy forum?
FR is a political discussion board, so there are multiple subboards which are specialized; all non-political stuff goes in Chat or Blogs. :’) I wouldn’t mind Science forum, but I’d really love to see a ghetto for the Gossip topics first.
Ummmmmmm...
Make that Science/Technology...
:’) It’s not that fun for me.
*shrug* It’s like slapstick. Much more fun to watch than experience...
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