The Moon Is 40 Million Years Older Than Thought, Lunar Rock Samples Suggest

The Moon Is 40 Million Years Older Than Thought, Lunar Rock Samples Suggest
By Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, October 23, 2023
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-moon-is-40-million-years-older-than-thought-lunar-rock-samples-suggest-180983117/

Scientists believe moon is 40 million years older than first thought
By Simon Druker, UPI, October 23, 2023
https://www.upi.com/Science_News/2023/10/23/moon-40m-years-older-lunar-surface-cyrstals/4101698072068/

The Moon is 40 million years older than previously thought
ScienceDaily, Northwestern University, October 23, 2023
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231023124332.htm

The open access paper is:

Greer, J., Zhang, B., Isheim, D., Seidman, D.N., Bouvier, A., and Heck, P.R., 2023. 4.46 Ga zircons anchor chronology of lunar
magma ocean Geochemical Perspectives Letters v27, Published 23 October 2023
https://doi.org/10.7185/geochemlet.2334

https://www.geochemicalperspectivesletters.org/article2334/

Yours,

Paul H.

Suspected extraterrestrial impact crater reported from North Korea

Suspected extraterrestrial impact crater reported from North Korea

A suspected extraterrestrial impact crater, the Hapcheon impact
crater, is reported from North Korea by the below open access papers.

Lim, J., Hong, S.S., Han, M., Yi, S. and Kim, S.W., 2021.
First finding of impact cratering in the Korean Peninsula. Gondwana Research, 91, pp.121-128.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1342937X20303105

Lee, J.Y., Shin, S., Yoon, H.H., Kim, J.C., Choi, Y., Nahm, W.H. and Kim, H., 2023. 

The Sedimentary records of the Hapcheon impact crater basin in Korea over the past 1.3 Ma. Frontiers in Earth Science, 11, p.1102785.

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2023.1102785/full

Yours,

Paul H.

NASA asteroid sample lands safely in Utah before being whisked away by helicopter

NASA asteroid sample lands safely in Utah before being whisked away by helicopter
Nell Greenfieldboyce, All Things Considered, September 24, 2023
https://www.npr.org/2023/09/24/1201386042/watch-live-nasa-sends-an-asteroid-sample-back-to-earth

Nasa hails 'awesome' rescue mission as asteroid sample reaches military base, Rebecca Morelle and Jonathan Amos, BBC News, September 24, 2023
https://www.bbc.com/news/live/science-environment-66881285

Yours,

Paul H.

The paper about the Hopewell airburst event has been retracted.

The paper about the Hopewell airburst event has been retracted.

The open access note about it is:

Tankersley, K.B., Meyers, S.D., Meyers, S.A. et al. Retraction Note:
The Hopewell airburst event, 1699–1567 years ago (252–383 CE).
Sci Rep 13, 14201 (2023). 

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-41237-8

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-41237-8

Yours,

Paul H.

This Ancient Meteorite from the Birth of Our Solar System

This Ancient Meteorite from the Birth of Our Solar System

This Ancient Meteorite Is A Time Capsule From The Birth of Our Solar System
by Michelle Starr, ScienceAlert, August 30, 2023
https://www.sciencealert.com/this-ancient-meteorite-is-a-time-capsule-from-the-birth-of-our-solar-system

The open access paper is:

Krestianinov, E., Amelin, Y., Yin, QZ. et al. Igneous meteorites suggest Aluminium-26 heterogeneity in the early Solar Nebula. Nat Commun 14, 4940 (2023).

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-40026-1

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-40026-1#citeas

Yours,

Paul H.

Pre–Younger Dryas megafaunal extirpation in southern California

Pre–Younger Dryas megafaunal extirpation in southern California

How Early Humans May Have Transformed L.A.’s Landscape Forever
Science Friday, NPR, August 25, 2023
https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/la-brea-saber-tooth-cat-fires/


The paper is:

O’Keefe, F.R., Dunn, R.E., Weitzel, E.M.,Waters, M.R., Martinez, L.N., Binder, W.J., Southon, J.R., Cohen, J.E., Meachen, J.A.,
DeSantis, L.R. and Kirby, M.E., 2023.
Pre–Younger Dryas megafaunal extirpation at Rancho La Brea linked to fire-driven state
shift. Science, 381(6659), p.eabo3594.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Michael-Waters-5/publication/373173502_Pre-Younger_Dryas_megafaunal_extirpation_at_Rancho_La_Brea_linked_to_fire-driven_state_shift/links/64de6911177c590413009230/Pre-Younger-Dryas-megafaunal-extirpation-at-Rancho-La-Brea-linked-to-fire-driven-state-shift.pdf

https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/science.abo3594

Yours,

Paul H.

Mysterious patches of glassy rock across Atacama Desert- Pica Glass and Atacamaites, Chile

Mysterious patches of glassy rock across Atacama Desert- Pica Glass and Atacamaites, Chile

In Mysterious patches of glassy rock across Atacama Desert,
https://www.mail-archive.com/meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com/msg131785.html

Robert Verish asked:
>This story caused a big splash on the Internet back in late-2021, but I'm still looking for a published paper.
>Has anyone heard anything more about this speculated comet impact?

Here is a follow-up article (dated Nov. 8, 2021) regarding a reported finding of impact-melt glass from a suspect "comet impact in the Atacama Desert".
https://www.sci.news/space/atacama-desert-comet-10247.html

Here is the original CNN article:

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/03/world/atacama-desert-glass-comet-scn/index.html

Below are some papers:

Gattacceca, J., Devouard, B., Barrat, J.A., Rochette, P., Balestrieri, M.L., Bigazzi, G., Ménard, G., Moustard, F., Dos Santos, E.,
Scorzelli, R. and Valenzuela, M., 2021. A 650 km2 Miocene strewnfield of splash-form impact glasses in the Atacama Desert,
Chile. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 569, p.117049

Koeberl, C., Crósta, A.P. and Schulz, T., 2022, March. Geochemistry, Highly Siderophile Elements, and Re-Os Isotope Signatures of
Impact Glasses from the Atacama Desert, Chile. In 53rd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (Vol. 2678, p. 2616).
https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2022/pdf/2616.pdf

Roperch, P., Gattacceca, J., Valenzuela, M., Devouard, B., Lorand, J.P., Arriagada, C., Rochette, P., Latorre, C. and Beck, P., 2017.
Surface vitrification caused by natural fires in Late Pleistocene wetlands of the Atacama Desert. Earth and Planetary Science
Letters, 469, pp.15-26.
https://hal.science/hal-02889687/file/Pica_Glass_Paleomag_data.pdf


Schultz, P.H., Harris, R.S., Perroud, S., Blanco, N. and Tomlinson, A.J., 2022. Widespread glasses generated by cometary fireballs
during the late Pleistocene in the Atacama Desert, Chile. Geology, 50(2), pp.205-209. open access
https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geology/article/50/2/205/609354/Widespread-glasses-generated-by-cometary-fireballs


Yours,

Paul H.

Possible asteroid crater 520km in diameter buried deep in southeast Australia 19AUG2023

Possible asteroid crater 520km in diameter buried deep in southeast Australia

Asteroid crater 520km in diameter buried deep in southeast Australia, scientists say
Dy Andrew Glikson, Australian Geographic.com,UNSW Sydney • August 16, 2023
https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/science-environment/2023/08/asteroid-crater-520km-in-diameter-buried-deep-in-southeast-australia-scientists-say/


World’s largest asteroid impact may be buried in Australia
Magnetic patterns beneath New South Wales' Murray Basin correspond to a colossal impact structure.
Sade Agard, Interesting Engineering, August 14, 2023
https://interestingengineering.com/science/worlds-largest-asteroid-impact-australia


The paywalled paper is:

Glikson, A.Y. and Yeates, A.N., 2022. Geophysics and origin of the Deniliquin multiple-ring feature, Southeast Australia. 

Tectonophysics, 837, p.229454.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0040195122002487


Yours,

Paul H.

New Paper Rebukes Claim That an Exploding Comet Destroyed Hopewell Culture 19AUG2023

New Paper Rebukes Claim That an Exploding Comet Destroyed Hopewell Culture

New Paper Rebukes Claim That an Exploding Comet Destroyed Hopewell Culture
Jason Colavito Blog, August 9, 2023
https://www.jasoncolavito.com/blog/new-paper-rebukes-claim-that-an-exploding-comet-destroyed-hopewell-culture


Comet Catastrophe Debunked: Archaeologists Refute Claims That a Comet
Destroyed Hopewell Culture, Science Tech News, August 17, 2923\
https://scitechdaily.com/comet-catastrophe-debunked-archaeologists-refute-claims-that-a-comet-destroyed-hopewell-culture/


Archaeology: Did a comet end the Hopewell civilization? Evidence slim
Brad Lepper,The Columbus Dispatch. June 2, 2022
https://www.dispatch.com/story/opinion/2022/06/02/hopewell-culture-claims-exploding-comet-ohio-destroyedcivilization/9999016002/


The open access paper is:

Nolan, K.C., Weiland, A., Lepper, B.T., Aultman, J., Murphy, L.R., Ruby, B.J., Schwarz, K., Davidson, M., Wymer, D., Everhart, T.D.
and Krus, A.M., 2023. Refuting the sensational claim of a Hopewell-ending cosmic airburst. Scientific Reports, 13(1), p.12910.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-39866-0


Yours,

Paul H.

Earth's most ancient impact craters are disappearing

Earth's most ancient impact craters are disappearing

Earth's most ancient impact craters are disappearing
by Rebecca Dzombak, PhysOrg, August 1, 2023
https://phys.org/news/2023-08-earth-ancient-impact-craters.html

Earth Oldest Impact Craters Are Disappearing
By Micheal Starr, ScienceAlert, August 2, 2023
https://www.sciencealert.com/earth-oldest-impact-craters-are-disappearing

The open access paper is:

M. S. Huber et al, Can Archean Impact Structures Be Discovered?
A Case Study From Earth's Largest, Most Deeply Eroded Impact
Structure, Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets (2023).
DOI: 10.1029/2022JE007721
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2022JE007721

Yours,

Paul H.

Belize tektites and the tektite strewn field of western Belize. 05JUN2023

Belize tektites and the tektite strewn field of western Belize.

King, D.T., Jr., 2023. Belize tektites and the tektite strewn field of western Belize. Notas
Geológicas, Revista Maya de Geociencias, Junio 2023. pp. 62-75.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/371206778_Revista_Maya_de_Geociencias_-_Junio_2023

An older open access paper is:

Koeberl, C., Glass, B.P., Schulz, T., Wegner, W., Giuli, G., Cicconi, M.R., Trapananti, A., Stabile, P., Cestelli-Guidi, M., Park, J. and
Herzog, G.F., 2022. Tektite glasses from Belize, Central America: Petrography, geochemistry, and search for a possible meteoritic component. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 325, pp.232-257.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S001670372200093X

Yours,

Paul H.

Impact melt rocks from the Late Paleocene Hiawatha impact structure, northwest Greenland. 27MAY2023

Impact melt rocks from the Late Paleocene Hiawatha impact structure, northwest Greenland.

More on the Late Paleocene Hiawatha impact structure, northwest Greenland. It was once thought to be a possible Pleistocene impact.

Hyde, W.R., Garde, A.A., Keulen, N., Malkki, S.N., Jaret, S.J., Waight, T., Beck, P., McDonald, I. and Larsen, N.K., 2023.
Impact melt rocks from the Late Paleocene Hiawatha impact structure, northwest Greenland. Meteoritics & Planetary Science.
https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/159598/4/maps.13987.pdf

https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/159598/

Yours,

Paul H.

Meteorite From New Fall Found in Texas 2023 24FEB2023

Meteorite From New Fall Found in Texas 2023

Mysterious object that shook Texas last week identified as a likely meteorite by NASA. CBS News, February 21, 2023
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/meteor-mcallen-texas-identified-meteorite-nasa-fragment-found/

Yours,

Paul H.

Challenges of identifying putative planetary-origin meteorites of non-igneous material 04FEB2023

Challenges of identifying putative planetary-origin meteorites of non-igneous material.

Anfinogenova, Y. and Anfinogenov, J., 2019. Challenges of identifying putative planetary-origin meteorites of non-igneous material. Geoscience Frontiers, 10(5), pp.1879-1890.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323444073_Challenges_of_identifying_putative_planetary-origin_meteorites_composed_of_non-igneous_material

https://arxiv.org/pdf/1802.09960.pdf


Yours,

Paul H.

Scientists find 17-pound meteorite in Antarctic 24JAN2023

Scientists find 17-pound meteorite in Antarctic
All Things Considered, January 23, 2023
https://www.npr.org/2023/01/23/1150844919/scientists-find-17-pound-meteorite-in-antarctica


Yours,

Paul H.

A Rough Guide to Spotting Bad Science 16JAN2023

A Rough Guide to Spotting Bad Science
https://www.compoundchem.com/2014/04/02/a-rough-guide-to-spotting-bad-science/

Yours,

Paul H.

Green comet streaks across the sky in 2023 for first time since Stone Age 09JAN2023

Green comet streaks across the sky in 2023 for first time since Stone Age

Green comet streaks across the sky in 2023 for first time since Stone Age
by: Eric Henrikson, WREG, Memphis, January 6, 2023
https://wreg.com/news/nation-and-world/green-comet-streaks-across-the-sky-in-2023-for-first-time-since-stone-age/


By the way and off-topic, below is a great lecture about how the Missoula Floods are dated.

Dating the Ice Age Floods
Central Washington University
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wKOVZKimwg


Yours,

Paul H.

The Homemade Air Purifier for dusty workshops 28DEC2022

The Homemade Air Purifier for dusty workshops

It seems like this would also work for dusty workrooms.

The Homemade Air Purifier That’s Been Saving Lives During the Covid-19 Pandemic
Made from everyday items found in hardware stores, the Corsi-Rosenthal box is a testament to the power of grassroots innovation
Douglas Hannah, The Conversation, Smithsonian, March 7, 2022
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/homemade-air-purifier-thats-been-saving-lives-during-covid-19-pandemic-180979681/

DIY box fan filters – Corsi-Rosenthal box
https://cleanaircrew.org/box-fan-filters/

IAQ Research-Practice in Action: The Corsi/Rosenthal Box Air Cleaner
https://www.texairfilters.com/iaq-research-practice-in-action-the-corsi-rosenthal-box-air-cleaner/

Yours,

Paul H.

An icy mystery deep in Arctic Canada 28DEC2022

 An icy mystery deep in Arctic Canada

Phoebe Smith, BBC News, Geologic Marvels, April 4, 2022
https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20220403-an-icy-mystery-deep-in-arctic-canada

Yours,

Paul H.

South Bohemia faces growing wave of illegal moldavite miners 14DEC2022

South Bohemia faces growing wave of illegal moldavite miners

South Bohemia faces growing wave of illegal moldavite miners

By Ruth Fraňková, Czech Radio, January 25, 2021

https://english.radio.cz/south-bohemia-faces-growing-wave-illegal-moldavite-miners-8706463

Yours,

Paul H.