Scientists Find Evidence Of Ancient Meteorite Inside Fossilized Clams From Florida
24 July 2019, 12:33 am EDT By Diane Samson Tech Times
Microtektites mounted on micropaleontology slides. Researchers found microtektites perfectly
preserved inside fossilized clams that were recovered from a quarry in Florida. According to
analysis, the microtektites were formed from a powerful meteorite impact millions of years
ago. ( Meyer, et al. | In Meteoritics And Planetary Science )
Researchers analyzing fossilized clams unearthed from a quarry in Sarasota County in Florida made an unusual discovery: dozens of tiny, silica-based glass beads.
These glass beads are forged under extreme heat, typically through volcanic or industrial activity. However, the researchers suggested that these ancient spheres were produced by a powerful meteorite impact.
They are called microtektites: particles that form when an object from space slams into the Earth, sending molten debris into the atmosphere where it cools and recrystallizes before falling into the ground. The researchers said that these are the first documented microtektites in Florida and possibly the first to be found inside a fossilized clam.
Unusual Glass Beads Trapped In Fossilized Clams
The microtektites were discovered by Mike Meyers from the University of South Florida in 2006. He and other students were sent to collect fossils from the quarry. He pried open fossil clams, washed the sediment trapped inside, and found the glass balls.
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