Bad Astronomy Article On Alleged "Tunguska Meteorites"

Bad Astronomy Article On Alleged "Tunguska Meteorites"

Have Tunguska Meteorites Been Found? I Have My
Doubts by Phil Plait, Bad Astronomy, May 6, 2013,
http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2013/05/06/tunguska_meteorites_scientist_claims_to_have_rocks_from_famous_impact.html

Yours,
Paul H.

Alleged Bosnian "Meteorite" Reported

Alleged Bosnian "Meteorite" Reported

After the Chelyabinsk Airburst, there has been a
noticeable increase in people inquiring about odd
rocks that they have found. It all has been interesting
and a good thing as I have had a good time looking
at rocks and teaching people geology.

In addition, as a result of the Chelyabinsk Airburst,
the below report appeared in the news:

Bosnia 'meteor' intrigues new generation in wake of
Russia strike (A mysterious rock at a quarry in central
Bosnia has seen has a spike in visitors in the wake
of the meteor explosion over Russia last week.)
The Telegraph, February 24, 2103.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/9890814/Bosnia-meteor-intrigues-new-generation-in-wake-of-Russia-strike.html

Is this Bosnia rock a meteorite?
by idoubtit, Doubtful News, February 24, 2013
http://doubtfulnews.com/2013/02/is-this-bosnia-rock-a-meteor/

Meteorite Bosnia: scienziati e scolaresche in pellegrinaggio
alla roccia caduta dal cielo by Davide Mazzocco, Feb. 25, 2013
http://www.ecoblog.it/post/53649/meteorite-bosnia-scienziati-e-scolaresche-in-pellegrinaggio-alla-roccia-caduta-dal-cielo

Judging from the available images, this objects looks
like an meter-scale concretion instead of a meteorite.
In addition, the statement, “It was so hot that it was
impossible to approach..,” is the standard folklore
that is associated all too many meteorwrongs. This
implausible claim raises a rather large red flag
about the validity of other comments about this
object. It still would fun and enlightening for someone
in the neighborhood to take a firsthand look at this
specimen.

Yours,

Paul H.

Alleged Grand Canyon Meteorite Strikes

Alleged Grand Canyon Meteorite Strikes

The section “Minerals from Spaces” (Pages 87-88),
Billingsley et al. (1997) recounts claims of reported
meteorite strikes in the Grand Canyon.For example,
they note that according to Huntoon (1989), a
meteorite slammed into the north wall of Milkweed
Canyon in either 1922 or 1924 across from a now
abandoned village.

Billingsley et al. (1997) can be downloaded as a PDF
file for free from:

http://www.grandcanyon.org/booksmore/booksmore_epublications.asp
http://www.grandcanyon.org/booksmore/epubs/pillar/quest_for_the_pillar_of_gold_full.pdf

References Cited

Billingsley, G. H., E. E. Spamer, and D. Menkes, 1997,
Quest for the Pillar of Gold: The Mines and Miners
of the Grand Canyon. Grand Canyon Association,
Grnad Canyon, Arizona. 112 pp.

Huntoon, P. W., 1989, Small Meteorite Impact in the
Western Grand Canyon, Arizona. In Elston, D. P.,
Billingsley, G. H., and Young, R.A. (eds.). "Geology of
Grand Canyon, Northern Arizona (with Colorado River
guides)." 28th International Geological Congress Field
Trip Guidebook T115/315.Washington, D.C.: American
Geophysical Union, p. 228.

Best wishes,

Paul H.

Dinosaur eggs said found in Russia's Chechnya

Dinosaur eggs said found in Russia's Chechnya

John Siebel wrote,
"The general opinion on the Paleolist is that they're concretions."

These alleged "dinosaur eggs" are clearly cannonball concretions.
Proof of this interpretation is seen in one picture that shows three
of these pseudoeggs merged together. For comparison, a collection
of pictures of cannonball concretions can be seen in (1.) "Tout ce
que la nature ne peut pas faire, IV : sphères de pierre" at:
http://irna.lautre.net/Tout-ce-que-la-nature-ne-peut-pas,45.html

(2.) " Boules de pierre en Slovaquie, République Tchèque et Pologne" at:
http://irna.lautre.net/Boules-de-pierre-en-Slovaquie.html

and (3.) "The Moeraki Boulders" at:
http://homepages.ezysurf.co.nz/~middleimage/MoerakiBoulders.html

Some papers, which discuss in detail examples of such
natural stone balls, which are spheroidal (cannonball)
concretions are:

Boles, J. R., Landis, C. A., and Dale, P., 1985, The Moeraki
boulders; anatomy of some septarian concretions. Journal of
Sedimentary Petrology. vol. 55, no. 3, pp. 398-406.

McBride, E. F., Picard, M. D., Milliken, K. M., 2003, Calcite-
cemented concretions in Cretaceous sandstone, Wyoming and
Utah, U.S.A. Journal of Sedimentary Research. vol. 73, no. 3.
pp. 462-483.

Horne, R. R.., and Taylor, B. J., 1969, Calcareous concretions
in the lower Cretaceous sediments of south-eastern Alexander
Island. British Antarctic Survey Bulletin. vol. 21, pp. 19-32.

Krajewski, K. P., and Luks, B., 2003, Origin of 'cannon-ball'
concretions in the Carolinefjellet Formation (Lower Cretaceous),
Spitsbergen. Polish Polar Research. vol. 24, no. 3-4, pp. 217-242.

Best wishes,

Paul H.