Meteorite: How Stones from Outer Space Made Our World

by Tim Gregory

Overview

Explore the universe and immerse yourself in the story of our solar system, planet, and life through meteorites.
 
"Meteorite is a treasure"—Wall Street Journal

Meteorites have long been seen as portents of fate and messages from the gods, their fiery remains inspiring worship and giving rise to legends that have persisted for millennia. But beyond the lore, meteorites tell an even greater story: that of our solar system. In Meteorite, geologist Tim Gregory shows that beneath the charred crusts of these celestial stones lies a staggering diversity of rock types. Their unique constituents, vibrant colors, and pungent smells contain thrilling tales of interstellar clouds, condensing stardust, and the fiery collisions of entire worlds. Gregory explores the world of meteorites to uncover new insights into what our solar system was like before our sun became a star, into the forging of our planet, and into the emergence of life on it. Humans have long looked to the skies for answers to big questions. Meteorite reveals how science is finally arriving at those answers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781541647619
Publisher:	Basic Books
Publication date:	10/13/2020
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	1,017,069
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Tim Gregory is a research scientist at the British Geological Survey in Nottingham, where he studies the geology of the early solar system using meteorites. He has a PhD from the University of Bristol and lives in Nottingham, UK.

Table of Contents

Meteorite Family Tree xi

Prologue: Written in Rock 1

Stones from the Sky 7

Earthfall 35

From Gas to Dust; from Dust to Worlds 61

Spheres of Metal and Molten Stone 83

Cosmic Sediments 107

Drops of Fiery Rain 131

Stars Down a Microscope 153

Star-tar 183

Pieces of the Red Planet 211

Calamitous Tales 239

Epilogue: The Story Goes On 269

Appendix: Meteor Showers 273

Acknowledgements 277

Notes 279

Index 285

Editorial Reviews

"Meticulously researched and eminently readable…Meteorite is a treasure"—Robert M. Thorson, Wall Street Journal

"I have a new book to recommend. In Meteorite, chemist and geoscientist Tim Gregory weaves a colorful tapestry of historical and scientific stories with an eye towards the latest developments. A passionate communicator, Gregory conjures environments and events far outside the human experience."

—Meenakshi Wadhwa, Nature

"Gregory is a geologist with an enthusiasm for storytelling."—Kate Greene, New York Times

"A captivating blend of painstaking detective work and dramatic cosmic events. The impact that rocks from space have had on our culture, and on our knowledge of where we come from — and where they come from — may surprise you. As will their impact on the planet of course, should you be lucky enough to see a 'fall.'"—Jon Butterworth, author of Smashing Physics

"Tim Gregory gets it. He has an uncanny ability to swiftly understand, to clearly explain, and to be joyful."—Chris Hadfield, astronaut

"A solid education that is so detailed it will appeal mostly to amateur astronomers and geologists."—Kirkus

From the Publisher

2020-08-18
A thorough guide to rocks that fall from space.

Meteorites don’t exist in space, explains British geologist Gregory in his first book; that term is what scientists call the object once it hits the ground. In space, it’s a meteoroid. Streaking across the sky at night, it’s a meteor or shooting star. Readers who assume the author is describing an exotic phenomenon will quickly learn their error. Roughly 40,000 tons of extraterrestrial material fall to Earth every year. Most is “cosmic dust” that rains down unseen, but about 60,000 “finds” have been discovered and moved to museums and private collections, and a small army of scientists and entrepreneurs is scouring the planet for more. Most originate from the innumerable small bodies in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, the result of collisions. The fragments drift through space for between 100,000 and 30 million years before arriving on Earth. Sometimes a piece is large enough to produce a spectacular show and considerable damage. A fragment perhaps 20 km. in diameter that struck 66 million years ago decimated entire ecosystems and wiped out the dinosaurs. Most consist of stone or a mixture of stone and iron; a few are almost pure iron. So far, none have contained materials unknown to science, and they are sources of priceless knowledge. Many asteroid stones remain unchanged since whirling clouds of dust formed the solar system 4.6 billion years ago—and it was from these stones that scientists determined the age of the Earth. As the molten Earth cooled, iron and other heavy metals mostly sunk to its core out of reach, but iron meteorites provide a sample. Along with long descriptions of hard science, Gregory also explores the inevitable pop-science questions. Stories of humans killed by a falling meteor are unconvincing. Evidence for animals killed is weak, but meteors have definitely struck houses and bruised their occupants.

A solid education that is so detailed it will appeal mostly to amateur astronomers and geologists.

Kirkus Reviews

British cosmochemistry researcher Dr. Tim Gregory narrates his comprehensive review of how meteors are created with relish. He also examines their impact on humanity's cultural memories and understanding of our world and the universe. Using accessible language, his clear, engaged performance illuminates the diverse beauty of the three main meteorite groups. While the overall focus spans the globe, many of Gregory's examples are derived from England. An accompanying pdf of supplemental material paired with Gregory's narration of the appendices provides eager listeners with additional insights on meteor specimens and events mentioned throughout the production. This is an engrossing companion for seasoned and new sky-gazers and rock hounds alike. J.R.T. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

DECEMBER 2020 - AudioFile

British cosmochemistry researcher Dr. Tim Gregory narrates his comprehensive review of how meteors are created with relish. He also examines their impact on humanity's cultural memories and understanding of our world and the universe. Using accessible language, his clear, engaged performance illuminates the diverse beauty of the three main meteorite groups. While the overall focus spans the globe, many of Gregory's examples are derived from England. An accompanying pdf of supplemental material paired with Gregory's narration of the appendices provides eager listeners with additional insights on meteor specimens and events mentioned throughout the production. This is an engrossing companion for seasoned and new sky-gazers and rock hounds alike. J.R.T. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

DECEMBER 2020 - AudioFile