2
yeah -- but they are still battling if an ET (extra terrestial) of some sort (asteroid, meteor) finished the ice age megafauna 12,900 years ago or was it the hunters of the florescent Clovis culture -- this is marked by a geological stripe marker called the Black Mat which shows ET evidence in the form of irridium and some hexagonally shaped nanodiamonds, which if earthling origin would be cubic.

5
Dr. Farr - have you got a link to the article with the Dino story? This stuff is really relevant for anyone wanting to follow up on the discussion.

What is the present consensus - what there once a planet in the zone between Mars and Jupiter, or has it always been a rubble? Did the Earth get knocked for six by an astroid relating to such a catastrophic explosion, I really don't know...

One of the other things that has been bothering me: Scientists say that they have found meteorites that stem from Mars and that give evidence to life on out neighbour planet. How on Earth did the asteroids end up here in the first place? Did they come with the Pizza? :???:
http://www.astronor.com

6
Dr. Farr - have you got a link to the article with the Dino story? This stuff is really relevant for anyone wanting to follow up on the discussion.
The Dinosaur story regarding their extinction by an asteroid is all over the web this month. It seems a rare occurence of International scientists coming together and settling on one single conclusion after going over all the available evidence.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8550504.stm

A lot of scientists also believe the worst mass extinction which took place 250 milion years ago,in the Permian period, was also the direct result of a comet or asteroid impact:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/1184556.stm

More recently there is scientific support for the theory that a comet hit North America around 13,000 years ago and precipitated the extinction of many animal species such as the Mammoth.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news ... tinct.html
What is the present consensus - what there once a planet in the zone between Mars and Jupiter, or has it always been a rubble? Did the Earth get knocked for six by an astroid relating to such a catastrophic explosion, I really don't know...
The main problem with the destroyed planet theory is the very small volume of the Asteroid belt. The main Asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter only comprises 1/1000th of the mass of the Earth. Even if all the Asteroids in the solar system were combined together they would comprise less than 1/3 of the size of our Moon. The general view is they are just part of the flotsam and jetsom left after the creation of the the Solar System between the solid rock planets (Mercury-Mars) and Gas Giants (Jupiter-Neptune).

http://www.world-mysteries.com/sci_8.htm
As thou conversest with the heavens, so instruct and inform thy minde according to the image of Divinity William Lilly

7
Andrew Bevan wrote:What is the present consensus - what there once a planet in the zone between Mars and Jupiter, or has it always been a rubble? Did the Earth get knocked for six by an astroid relating to such a catastrophic explosion, I really don't know...
I think the usual theory is that there were about four big bodies between Mars and Jupiter. This because there are about four main classes of asteroids, based upon their spectra the composition can be seen, abundance of certain metals etc. Because of the strong gravity effects of Jupiter these 'protoplanets' couldn't remain big objects and were torn apart into smaller objects.

8
I think the usual theory is that there were about four big bodies between Mars and Jupiter
.

Hi Eddy,

Any links to expand on that theory? I dont see how you can get around the the problem of the exceptionally tiny mass of existing asteroid bodies in the solar syatem. Of course if we are discussing the very early solar system that may explain it.

Thanks

Mark
As thou conversest with the heavens, so instruct and inform thy minde according to the image of Divinity William Lilly

9
I once read it in an astronomy book of the '90s, don't know which one but it was of some university press Cambridge possibly.

I didn't mean very big bodies but something like Ceres' size or so, this wouldn't contradict the tiny mass.

At the moment the first thing I can think about dealing with the tiny total mass of asteroids is that since they are small their orbits are uncertain and many objects probably have been thrown out to the outer realms of the solar system.

11
Along these asteroid/meteor catastrophy lines is the theory (Muck and others) that an advanced, cro-magnon dominated civilization was destroyed (in one day and one night) by an asteroid (some say meteor) around the 9500 to 12000 BC time period (some have referred to this civilization as "Atlantis") I personally lean toward acceptance of this theory as a plausible hypothesis (to my mind) within the context of my esoteric world view.
Certainly such a view is a lot more plausible today, even to sceptical orthodox scientific thinking, than it was in the past. There has been a veritable avalanche of books on this kind of theme in the last decade or so. I prefer to avoid reference to Atlantis. I am aware this dates back to Plato. However, in contemporary culture this links us into some rather extreme fringe groups focusing on UFO contact etc. Still, the idea of human culture having been set back by a comet impact within the last few thousand years is intriguing.

It is now acknowledged by the majority of scientists that a comet or asteroid entering our atmosphere is the likeliest explanation for the Tunguska event of 1908 in Siberia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunguska_event

The accumulating evidence is leading to a general re-evaluation of the previous academic orthodoxy which touted the uniformity principle. Belatedly scientists have discovered catastrophism. Of course, there has always been evidence of destruction coming from the heavens: The Epic of Gilgemesh, The Book of Revelations, The Myth of Phaeton, Old Testament references, astrological lore, Christian Millenialists, and Immanuel Velikovsky have all insisted upon it. But now, after centuries of debunking such theories, science proclaims its official dictum: cataclysm is possible, indeed probable. :shock:

Here are a few books members may find useful in following up this subject:

Rain Of Iron And Ice: The Very Real Threat Of Comet And Asteroid Bombardment - John S. Lewis

The Cycle of Cosmic Catastrophes: How a Stone-Age Comet Changed the Course of World Culture- Richard Firestone , Allen West , Simon Warwick-Smith

Earth Under Fire: Humanity's Survival of the Ice Age-Paul A. LaViolette Ph.D.

The End of Eden: The Comet That Changed Civilization- Graham Phillips

The Celtic Gods: Comets in Irish Mythology -Patrick McCafferty and Mike Baillie

New Light on the Black Death- Mike Baillie
As thou conversest with the heavens, so instruct and inform thy minde according to the image of Divinity William Lilly

12
Does anyone know how astronomers explain rock from Mars ending up on Earth?
Here is an article having a good go!

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/rea ... e-on-earth
Why do they think life arrived Earth in a comet? They haven't found anything of such substance anywhere elsewhere in the Universe yet that gives evidence to that life had to come from the outside. Surely?
The theory of comets 'seeding' life on Earth was first proposed by the English astronomer Fred Hoyle and has gained increasing support in the scientific community. The idea is that in the early Earth comet impacts were the likely source of the water and organic materials that developed into life. Of course there were comet impacts all across the solar system. However, it is suggested the Earth was the 'Goldilocks planet' with just the right conditions ( ie proximity to Sun) for life to develop.

http://www.astroengine.com/?p=5182
As thou conversest with the heavens, so instruct and inform thy minde according to the image of Divinity William Lilly