[meteorite-list] "Crashed Through the Roof . . . Steaming Hot!"

From: Sharkkb8_at_aol.com <Sharkkb8_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:37:32 2004
Message-ID: <b3.43d7d58.2761b42d_at_aol.com>

 
<< There is actually quite a story that is associated with the Frasse
 meteorite. I believe the owner found several insects within the small
 cavities of his rock and offered them for sale on Ebay as Martian
 insects. I think he gave them very scientific names like "Spidey", etc.
 If anyone else remembers the story differently than me, lets us all
 know.......it was good for some great laughter back then. >>

Yes, I had a long back-and-forth email with the guy's daughter at the time,
and the whole story is really more pathetic than anything else. The guy's
not a con-man, he really-and-truly believes that his rock is Martian, he
actually believes that there is a "vast science-wing conspiracy" to keep his
rock from being recognized as genuine. Several people, including Bob Haag
and Dr. Rubin I believe, took very quick looks at it, but they obviously
dismissed it immediately. And that was this guy's point - He felt like the
rock never got the whole treatment from any lab within the mainstream
scientific community, and that must mean that science is conspiring to
prevent this phenomenal discovery from seeing the light of day. He put up a
couple of miniscule little specks on ebay, with a starting bid of $1,000,000,
and was downright puzzled that no one bid. If I remember correctly, it was
after the $1M-specks failed to sell, that he "upped the ante" and offered the
Martian insects. Geoff's mention of "scorched mud" reminded me of the
silverware for sale on his website, from the ranch where the "Bran Muffin"
was discovered, but he's evidently pulled that sale, undoubtedly from
universal ridicule.

Gregory
Received on Thu 07 Dec 2000 10:49:01 PM PST