Tuesday, April 15, 2008

New Technique Can Estimate Size and Frequency of Meteorite Impacts


News today from the National Science Foundation will have an impact on how scientists are able to study…. well, impacts. A team of geologists has developed a new way of determining the size and frequency of meteorites that have collided with Earth in the past. By studying sediments found on the ocean floor and looking for isotopes of the rare element osmium, scientists can now figure out not only when a meteorite impact occurred in Earth’s history, but also the size of the meteorite. Written by Nancy Atkinson

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