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Strange Asteroids Baffle Scientists

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the science-rocks dept.

Raver32 writes to mention that two nearby asteroids may be evidence of a new class of asteroid or long eroded mini-world. Mineral evidence gathered using photometric data shows these asteroids to contain basalt not normally found in asteroid belt objects. "The lack of basalt and another mineral, olivine, in asteroid belt objects has long puzzled scientists. These two minerals would have formed the crust and mantle, respectively, of belt objects the size of Vesta or larger; theory predicts that more than half of all asteroids should be composed of one or the other of these substances"

11 of 125 comments (clear)

  1. Maybe they're not thinking out of the box. by ColdWetDog · · Score: 5, Funny

    That's no asteroid....

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  2. More missing stuff by Silver+Sloth · · Score: 3, Funny
    From TFA

    "Roughly 99 percent of the stuff we expect to see [in the asteroid belt] is missing." I'm no astronomer but what with 'dark matter' and now this it seems that an awful lot of the universe is 'missing'.
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  3. New class of asteroid by Joe+Random · · Score: 5, Funny

    two nearby asteroids may be evidence of a new class of asteroid One of the major distinguishing features of this new class of asteroid is that, when leaving the telescope's field of view, they reappear on the opposite edge.
  4. Wish more people would fess up their bafflement by 140Mandak262Jamuna · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I just wish people in other fields, politics, religion, law, philosophy, etc would admit when they are baffled as readily as the scientists do. For all the amount of explanations they offer and advance understanding of nature, these scientists seem to delight on admitting they are baffled at the drop of a hat.

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    sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
    1. Re:Wish more people would fess up their bafflement by pete-classic · · Score: 5, Insightful

      That's the thing about Science. Figuring out that you don't understand something is considered an important part of progress. In those other disciplines it's the ultimate failure.

      -Peter

    2. Re:Wish more people would fess up their bafflement by dbolger · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Would you vote for a politican who admitted that he was delightfully baffled by questions of how to fix the economy? Would you hire a manager who eagerly told people that he had no idea how to rally sales or improve worker morale?

      I can imagine sitting in court as the RIAA shows a jury undeniable evidence that I have downloaded and shared the newly released Bratz movie. I know I didn't do it, but turning to my lawyer to see his reaction, I am faced with his goofy grin and shrugging shoulders. Uh-oh.

      Science is the only field (that I can think of) where being stumped could be considered anything other than a bad outcome. That's what sets it apart from other fields.

    3. Re:Wish more people would fess up their bafflement by cathector · · Score: 5, Insightful

      it's not *being* stumped that's so great,
      what the parent is lauding is *admitting* when you're stumped.

    4. Re:Wish more people would fess up their bafflement by russ1337 · · Score: 3, Funny

      >>> This is why scientists are generally not leaders.

      Oh yeah? Then Explain THIS GUY

    5. Re:Wish more people would fess up their bafflement by king-manic · · Score: 3, Funny

      Sure, because he's obviously the first honest candidate in recorded history.

      Would appearing baffled be enough? The current prez would then take the title. HE appears baffled at every question and then proceeds to answer a different one then the one asked.

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      "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
  5. Re:Hint to the Scientists... by wilder_card · · Score: 4, Insightful

    >> When the facts don't fit the theory of evolution, maybe it's time to look for new "facts." Well here we go again. Actually facts against the theory of evolution would be really interesting to most biologists. They would mean we don't know something. However, just because a piece of information is posted on a creationist web site doesn't make it a "fact". It's actually the creationists who are looking for new facts; they just haven't found them. Consider this: it's actually much easier to disprove a theory than to prove one. If creationism were true, it would be glaringly obvious. Historically, scientists were dragged kicking and screaming to the theory of evolution, because nothing else fit the facts.

  6. Re:Hint to the Scientists... by geobeck · · Score: 3, Funny

    Maybe you should run Clippy...

    "I see you're trying to start a flame war by inserting pseudo-religious dogma into a scientific discussion. Can I help you with that?"

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