 |
PHOTOGRAPHS BY ABDULKADIR ABIIKAR HUSSEIN, ALMAAS UNIVERSITY
|
|
For centuries, a ruddy, pockmarked boulder sat near a well outside a small Somalian town. Generations of herders knew of the odd rock, sharpening their blades on the 33,400-pound metallic mass.
What is it made of? Mostly iron and nickel. But within the mound's metals are at least three minerals not seen on Earth, carried to this planet centuries ago when a space rock plunged through our atmosphere. The weird origin story, which mirrors the discovery of the fictional Vibranium of Black Panther movies, could shed more light on the explosive beginnings of our solar system, says mineralogist Chi Ma. "Every new mineral—each and every one—has a voice and a story to tell."
Read the full story here.
Please consider getting our full digital report and magazine by subscribing here.
|
|
|
|
