Posted on 01/11/2009 7:29:43 PM PST by Lorianne
Asteroids are hunks of rock that orbit in the outer reaches of space, and scientists have generally assumed that their small size limited the types of rock that could form in their crusts. But two newly discovered meteorites may rewrite the book on how some asteroids form and evolve.
Researchers from the Carnegie Institution, the University of Maryland, and the University of Tennessee report in the January 8th edition of Nature that these meteorites are ancient asteroid fragments consisting of feldspar-rich rock called andesite. Similar rocks were previously known only from Earth, making these samples the first of their kind from elsewhere in the Solar System.
The two meteorites were discovered during the Antarctic Search for Meteorites (ANSMET) 2006/2007 field season in a region of the Antarctic ice known as the Graves Nunatak icefield. The light-colored meteorites, designated GRA 06128 and GRA 06129, were immediately recognized as being different from previously known meteorites.
"What is most unusual about these rocks is that they have compositions similar to Earth's andesite continental crust - what makes up the ground beneath our feet," says University of Maryland's James Day, lead author of the study. "No meteorites like this have ever been seen before."
(Excerpt) Read more at sciencedaily.com ...
Moonbats, the mother ship has arrived.
Like a bad pie?
Isn't it possible that's exactly what they are? It seems possible that fragments of crustal rocks could be ejected out of the Earth's atmosphere by a cometary or asteroid impact. Such ejected fragments might later fall to earth as meteorites.
Might they not?
I baked one of those int eh microwave for supper the other day. Washed and wrapped in a paper towl, they turn out pretty good after nine minutes on high.
I baked one of those int eh microwave for supper the other day. Washed and wrapped in a paper towl, they turn out pretty good after nine minutes on high.
I baked one of those in the microwave for supper the other day. Washed and wrapped in a paper towl, they turn out pretty good after nine minutes on high.
I baked one of those in the microwave for supper the other day. Washed and wrapped in a paper towl, they turn out pretty good after nine minutes on high.
Apparently not the only thing in your household that got baked.
Did you ever have a sense of humor?
There was a glitch at FR last night, where an ‘error’ message was coming up when you tried to post or even click on a thread to read a specific post. I had no idea so many potatoes were spilling out onto the thread. Help yourself if you’re ‘hungry’.
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"What is most unusual about these rocks is that they have compositions similar to Earth's andesite continental crust - what makes up the ground beneath our feet," says University of Maryland's James Day, lead author of the study. "No meteorites like this have ever been seen before."
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Hey, now that is funny!
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