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New Mineral Discovered in Moon Meteorite

Posted by michael on from the hot-topics dept.

zuikaku writes "There are several reports of the discovery of a new mineral in a lunar meteorite found in Oman. The new mineral, hapkeite, is named for Bruce Hapke, the scientist who predicted 30 years ago that such a mineral would exist. The mineral only forms on the moon due to impacts from meteroites that are too small to impact the Earth (they would burn up in our atmosphere). The small impacts melt lunar rocks and create a mineral vapor which then collects on other rocks."

15 comments

  1. Damn, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    I was sure it was a meteor with naqueda, sent by the G'oulds to destroy Earth..
    (Sorry watching 13 Stargate episodes in a row, can't be good)

    1. Re:Damn, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      that's naquadria, FOOL!

    2. Re:Damn, by cloak42 · · Score: 1

      And here I thought it was N'al Q'aeda.

    3. Re:Damn, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually it is Naquada, Naquadria is only found on Jonus's homeworld atm and was not used by the gou'ld as far as we knew at this point(dont even believe we knew it existed)

  2. First hapkeite crystals... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1


    ...tomorrow, dilithium crystals!

  3. At Last! by rudy_wayne · · Score: 3, Funny

    We have aquired unobtanium!

    1. Re:At Last! by Mycroft_VIII · · Score: 1

      Where are my mod points when I need them. :)
      +2 funny or thereabouts.

      Last week mod points every 2 days, this week meta mod shows up twice a day. Slashcode may need a better random num generator.(or recheck of algo)

      Mycroft

      --
      https://signup.leagueoflegends.com/?ref=4c3ed6600b6ea
  4. Could this mineral form on mars? by dtolman · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Mars has a very thin atmosphere - anyone know if it is thin enough for small enough meteors to get through?

    If so - wonder if the rovers could spot it coating Martian rocks...

    1. Re:Could this mineral form on mars? by Tango42 · · Score: 1

      All depends on how small small is, doesn't it? I haven't RTFA because I'm too lazy, but I would guess Mars' atmosphere is thick enough to stop such meteors.

    2. Re:Could this mineral form on mars? by StateOfTheUnion · · Score: 1
      In theory, space regolith is formed by the impact of micrometeorites up to 150 micrometres in size travelling at speeds of up to 100,000 kilometres per hour.

      I'm no expert but I'd be very surprised if you could get meteorites of this speed and size on the surface of Mars . . . Even a very thin atmoshere would slow down such tiny meteors before they hit the surface.

      Mars has a significant atmosphere (though not as thick as earth's) . . .Didn't a probe burn up in the atmosphere b/c we couldn't convert units of measure?

  5. Huh!!! by vijaya_chandra · · Score: 1

    Am confused as to who'd have thrown the stone from the moon towards the earth

    or is there a teleporter between the moon and oman?!!?

  6. The new mineral by MisterLawyer · · Score: 1
    "...is formed by the impact of micrometeorites up to 150 micrometres in size travelling at speeds of up to 100,000 kilometres per hour."

    Hmm. 150 micrometres is about the diameter of a human hair. Travelling at 100,000 kph? That would hurt.

    I suddenly feel very grateful for our atmosphere.