[meteorite-list] Hot Desert Meteorites

From: SSachs9056_at_aol.com <SSachs9056_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:54:05 2004
Message-ID: <17f.3b246aa.299ff41f_at_aol.com>

Greg, Bernd, and list,

Nicely said. I echo your words and would like to add that I have acquired a
number of "no name" / "no coordinates" NWA's the last couple of years. And
while I would love to own a pricey SNC or Lunar sample that is larger than a
Corn Flake, budget restraints dictate otherwise.

Yes...it's too bad that many NWA's will go unclassified, will never see the
inside of a Meteoritical Bulletin, and may be the orphaned child of the
classified / pedigreed specimens. But when you go to class of third graders
and talk about the wonderful mysteries of meteorites, do they really care
about location coordinates, complex petrology classifications? And for that
matter, would one want to bring a pricey Camel Donga or Allende to the class
for all to touch and feel?

That's the beauty of the NWA's. They're cheap----they can be touched,
carressed, picked at, dropped, licked, by the students, and did I mention
cheap? Best of all....they're meteorites. The sample you bring to class...can
stay with the class.

That is why I think the much maligned unclassified NWA's have their place.
Every science classroom, whether elementary, middle school, of high school in
our nation should have a meteorite. Cheap NWA's could make that a reality.
(sorry...starting to sound like a politician's platform)

Best to all,

Steven L. Sachs http://www.geocities.com/gangwise/meteorite.html
Received on Sat 16 Feb 2002 12:42:55 PM PST