For 150 years, they thought it was a meteorite, and a study revealed that it was something much more expensive – Enséñame de Ciencia

Source: Aurelio Nieto

in 1871a fragment to Stone It was deposited in National Museum of Natural Sciences in Madrid, SpainWith the belief that it fell from space and was named “Meteorite from Cuba. However, Spanish, Cuban and American researchers have recently discovered something surprising: fragment It was never a meteor. Now, this strange piece will be transferred to a storage facility in… museum And Rename it as “Cuban pseudometeorite.

this Discoverydespite of Strange and somewhat comical Not entirely surprising. Since… century XX, many researchers have expressed doubts about the true nature of the piece. to Despite the doubts, no one dared to conduct the necessary studies to confirm or deny its extraterrestrial origin. However, the cooperation between the curator of the geological group of The National Museum of Natural Sciences and some researchers from the University of Havana and the University of Florida He solved the mystery that left people speechless Scientific community for more than 150 years.

aurelio netto, Curator of the museum's geological collectionHe commented that this research is the first time that data has been obtained using more sophisticated analysis techniques. Until now, the rock has been ignored Research, but thanks to technological advancesA detailed study can be conducted for this The true nature of the “meteorite” is finally clarified.“.

the study, Published in the Mexican Journal of Geosciencesuser Electron microscopy and X-ray spectroscopy techniques for analysis the Properties Chemicals And the texture of the piece. This data was compared with that of other real meteorite fragments stored in it Smithsonian National Museum of Natural HistoryOne of the largest museums in United State.

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Results He was reveal. Contrary to expectations, the fragment is not a meteorite, but a piece The rest is steel Which was the product of artificial manipulation. It was made using traditional blacksmithing techniques found today Completely deserted. One of the data More interesting These nickel levels were obtained Available in the widget They're not what you'd expect to find in a file Traditional meteorite.

In light of this evidence, the piece It no longer has value Geological Appropriate Therefore, it will be renamed “False meteorite From Cuba“. Even though the name has changed, the stock number will remain the same Same thing with different name.

It turned out that the nickel levels were too low to be classified as a “space rock.” Source: Aurelio Nieto

So, what variables or properties must an object have to be considered a meteorite?

To determine whether an object is a true meteorite, several key scientific criteria are evaluated. First, he analyzes it chemical compositionIt looks for the presence of metallic minerals such as iron and nickel, as in the study, but they must have a standard value. As well as silicates, which are common components of space rocks.

the Internal structure But it is too Important. Meteorites often show signs of crystallization, and some contain chondrules, which are spherical particles that form in space. Melt gaps are also looked for, which indicate the high temperatures that occur during entry into the atmosphere.

the Surface features a task; Meteorites are often characterized by something called regmaglypts, roughness resulting from ablation during entry into the atmosphere, and molten crust. Besides, his Magnetism and existence Isotopes and elements Rare are the main indicators. It is necessary that The object shows no signs of terrestrial change Which maintains its distinctive shape.

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analysis Hinge Which collects Technologies Such as mass spectroscopy and microscopy Electronics is crucial for your confirmation authenticity.

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