[meteorite-list] Nakhla Weighs In...Life on Mars...Costa Rica?

From: MARSROX_at_aol.com <MARSROX_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sat Mar 25 23:55:43 2006
Message-ID: <32f.ca3899.31571afc_at_aol.com>

Ron Baalke continues to provide us valuable information published everywhere
in the world about meteorites. An article he just cited titled, "Mars
Meteorite Similar to Bacteria-etched Earth Rocks" caught my attention.

Writer Mark Floyd heralds another clue in the ongoing search for
extra-terrestrial signs of life in Mars meteorites.

However, one statement might lead some to confusion.

"Scientists have dated the igneous rock fragment from Nakhla - which weighed
about twenty pounds - at 1.3 billion years in age."

I'm not clear if Mark meant that the particular piece of Nakhla used in the
study weighed twenty pounds or all of Nakhla weighed twenty pounds. The photo
used to show the bacteria tunnels is presumably from a thin section (here
called a"thin slice").

For the record, the largest recovered fragment of this fall of 1911 in Egypt
is specimen #12834 weighing 1,813.2 grams (from "Guide to the Collection of
the Geological Museum/Cairo" 1955).

Perhaps he meant that the total known weight (TKW) of Nakhla is 9.9 kgs.
(about 20 pounds).

One sample of Nakhla available for research is from British Museum specimen
labeled #1913.25 which Monica Grady donated for research. Weighing 640.8
grams, this totally crusted specimen was cut in half under sterile conditions (I
believe they used NASA's lunar lab in Houston for the surgery), with about
300 grams going back to London, the rest for distribution to researchers.

Results from prior findings of suspect Nakhla and Mars bacteria can be seen
here:

_http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/289214.stm_
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/289214.stm)

I've been busy on other projects the last three years and have (reluctantly)
 neglected my meteorite duties like attending the Tucson Show and
contributing to this list.
 
I'm in the USA until April 11, but I soon hope to have an exciting
meteorite-related vacation possibility available for a few lucky m-listees....... at
my home in Costa Rica.

Un abrazzo,

Kevin Kichinka
 
Received on Sat 25 Mar 2006 05:15:24 PM PST