[Rockhounds] new astro mineral--Brownleeite

[Pmodreski at aol.com]

In a message dated 6/12/2008 7:09:06 PM Mountain Daylight Time,  
Kreigh at tomaszewski.net writes:

http://www.universetoday.com/2008/06/12/alien-mineral-from-comet-dust-  
> found-in-earths-atmosphere/


I notice that this article is one of the rare places where one can actually  
find a number quoted as to the total number of mineral species recognized by 
the  I.M.A.:  it gives, 4324 mineral species.
 
Also, a plague upon the continued use of our wretched English measurement  
units when quoting scientific data!  The article says that the newly  identified 
cometary mineral is in grains "only 1/10,000 of an inch in  size".  I don't 
(don't know if anyone does) readily comprehend in my head,  how that 
corresponds to the units mineralogists or other scientists really use  to measure tiny 
grains--microns (1/1000 of a mm).  So let's see, if 25.4 mm  per inch, call it 
25, 1/10,000 inch = 1/400 mm, = 2.5 microns.  You'd think  in a "Universe 
Today" website they'd at least give this in the units that  scientists and the 
rest of the world uses.  End of my tirade!
:  )
 
Pete
 



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