That 10-kilogram space rock had started its journey through the universe as a doorstop. Now, following its testing at Central Michigan University (CMU), it has taken the world by storm. The scientists first spotted the rock in 2018. It is assumed that it crashed on a farm in Edmore, Michigan sometime in the 1930s and rested there for several decades without attention. Its journey from cupboard to lab bench to scientific discovery is a testament to the value of learning our natural history.
The tiny space rock’s amazing saga started long before it was shipped to CMU for analysis. When geology professor Mona Sirbescu first saw the stone, she knew it was special.
“I could tell right away that this was something special. It’s the most valuable specimen I have ever held in my life, monetarily and scientifically.” – Mona Sirbescu, geology professor at CMU.
The rock isn’t the only thrilling recent discovery we have to share with you! A 3.5-kilogram rusty-red clump of a much rarer variety of ‘space rock’ found in a riverbed in southeast Romania. In the 1970s, an elderly woman accidentally discovered this fragment, now valued for its extraordinary scientific and cultural importance.
Daniel Costache, director of the museum that processed the reddish meteorite chunk, made clear just how special it was.
“Its discovery represents a great significance both at a scientific level and at a museum level.” – Daniel Costache, director of the museum.
That reddish chunk was purchased by the Croatian Government and delivered to the Museum of History in Krakow, Poland. Researchers believe this amber deposit dates at least to the Late Cretaceous, probably between 38 and 70 million years old. It was derived from the resin of ancient evergreen trees. The immense geological pressure exerted over millions of years has made it possible for this amber to completely harden, thus creating a fossil.
The amber deposit is currently recognized as a national treasure of Romania and a protected cultural asset. Its estimated value is €1 million. This remarkable discovery is kept today in the Provincial Museum of Buzău. It still raises eyebrows though, both for its attractiveness and scientific importance.
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