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miso25 OP t1_iyd3g41 wrote

They were identified by scientists at the University of Alberta who looked at a 70g fragment from the 15-tonne meteorite, which is said to be the ninth-biggest to reach our planet and is about 90% iron and nickel.

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lionheart4life t1_iyd86kc wrote

Nickel prices are pretty high right now, how do they decide who gets rights to the meteorite?

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Setepenre t1_iydr9ao wrote

Why would there be any discussion about it ? It is in Somalia it belongs to Somalians. The rock seems to have some significance locally as well

> Canadian researchers said the rock was found in rural Somalia two years ago, but locals believe it is much older. > They call the stone Nightfall, and say it is documented in poems, songs and dances that stretch back five generations. It is used today to sharpen knives.

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BazilBroketail t1_iydym0c wrote

Nightfall? That's badass.

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milk4all t1_iyeopsd wrote

Yeah, if you find an ancient meteor named “Nightfall”, you leave it right the fuck where you find it and go hug your family

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milk4all t1_iyepltv wrote

They named the minerals after the region in Somalia, so there’s props. But what is crazy to me is that both minerals were “discovered” when they were synthesized in a french lab 40 years ago. I guess they cant call them “minerals” if they aren’t naturally occurring so the spectacular part of this story is how they found what were previously only known as 2 completely random, man made compounds that have existed for eons in this meteor!

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ghotiaroma t1_iyejlkc wrote

> Why would there be any discussion about it ? It is in Somalia it belongs to Somalians.

Well historically speaking all minerals and oil in Africa ultimately belong to english speaking white men.

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BlueWizi t1_iyeg4th wrote

Someone already shipped it off to China to sell. I can’t find info about who though, doesn’t seem like it was the researchers

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lionheart4life t1_iydw9gy wrote

"Somalia" is a pretty broad term for ownership. What cut does the actual landowner get etc, lol.

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Adbam t1_iydy48q wrote

How would anyone in this sub know the answer to that question. And if someone did answer would you believe their response?

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acarsity t1_iye16ym wrote

Helo, am somalan grandpa, for reward of trust i grant prize of meteor piece, please giv all your funds to complet!

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TheSnatchbox t1_iydtwqk wrote

You don't think there should be a discussion about who would potentially profit off of this meteorite in fucking Somalia?

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Dumb_Nuts t1_iyeuo9d wrote

It was shipped to China according to Wikipedia. So China

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MacBash t1_iydvrhc wrote

Do these minerals tell us about the conditions where the meteorite originated from or are they formed during entry/impact?

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Salad55 t1_iydwlzz wrote

They tell us where it’s from

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MacBash t1_iydxgdm wrote

Thank you. Somehow I was not sure.

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frognettle t1_iye88iq wrote

I found that "All meteorites come from inside our solar system. Most of them are fragments of asteroids that broke apart long ago in the asteroid belt, located between Mars and Jupiter. Such fragments orbit the Sun for some time–often millions of years–before colliding with Earth."

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rocketsocks t1_iyeupqg wrote

There are almost certainly interstellar meteorites, but they are probably exceedingly rare, and none have been identified yet, per se.

There's a much larger flux of space dust which lands on Earth, which can leave behind micro-meteorites, some of that dust is of interstellar origin.

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mechmind t1_iyfdzti wrote

Came here looking for a photo of the 15-ton meteorite. Disappointed.

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SenseisSifu t1_iydc1e1 wrote

Oof. Missed the chance for a play off 'vibranium'

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