[meteorite-list] "SNEAKY LITTLE DEVILS" NJO CONFIRMED METEORWRONG

[Eric Twelker]

This incident is a sad bit of commentary on the relationship of the
commercial meteorite community to scientists and, perhaps, on the state of
science in general.  I was able to warn Dr. Delaney early-on that the object
was not a freshly fallen meteorite and to forward some of the correspondence
from this list to him.  He chose not to heed the warning‹which of course is
his choice to make.
 
Those of us who are lucky enough to have hundreds or thousands of meteorites
pass through our hands possess a store of knowledge that has real value to
academics that haven¹t had this experience.  Our knowledge is, for the most
part, available for the asking‹or sometimes even without asking.  The better
course for the scientist is to recognize when they need help and to resist
the notion of a divide between science and the commercial world. In my
experience, this is what the best scientists do.
 
Eric Twelker
http://www.meteoritemarket.com

> Not to keep flogging this dead horse, but I also am skeptical about these
> guys continuing to identify the source of the object without any evidence to
> support!
> 
> What makes them so convinced that it actually came from space?
> Is there an indication of ablation? There would have to be, right?
> It sure doesn't look like there is.
> 
> They may be eating crow again...
> 
> Cheers,
> Pete
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> From: Darryl Pitt <darryl at dof3.com>
> To: Meteorite List <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
> Subject: [meteorite-list] "SNEAKY LITTLE DEVILS" NJO CONFIRMED METEORWRONG
> Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 06:26:42 -0400
> 
> 
> 
> It has finally been determined by experts that the NJO is not a  meteorite.
> 
> In Friday's AP story, Rutgers University geologist Jerry Delaney was  quoted
> as saying,"I was wrong. Sneaky little devil."
> 
> The second sentiment is not even remotely accurate.
> 
> As I mentioned to the list in January, there was absolutely nothing  about
> the NJO which resembled a new meteorite. I advised the Newark  Star Ledger,
> The New York Times and AP in writing that the NJO was  not a meteorite. I
> contacted the museum at Rutgers prior to their  exhibition of the
> object---which generated the largest attendance on  a single day---that this
> was not a meteorite.
> 
> The only "sneaky little devils" are the folks at Rutgers University.
> 
> Stories are released on Friday nights so the story will miss the news
> cycle.  It's for stories that would cause embarrassment; it's for  those
> moments where you hope the story disappears.
> 
> This is just so deplorable---and it's not an isolated instance of how  an
> institution with something to gain---and the media---work.  But  for
> scientists to be so sloppy in THEIR work is just  so....disappointing. As I
> wrote to the list several months ago:  "While [this] may ultimately be among
> the most unusual freshly fallen  meteorites known to exist, such an
> assessment cannot and should not  ever have been made by simply passing it
> around for a casual analysis  and singing kumbaya."
> 
> Here is the latest story....in case you missed it.
> http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070511/ap_on_sc/fallen_object
> 
> 
> Depth of Field Management
> 1501 Broadway  Suite 1304
> New York, New York  10036
> 212.302.9200
> 
> Just Released / THE BAD PLUS - PROG
> Coming 5/22/07 / MICHAEL BRECKER - PILGRIMAGE
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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