Cubans Warned Against Using Meteorite Pieces as Jewelery
HAVANA TIMES – Cubans who have found pieces of a fallen meteorite should not use them to make jewelry, because they could transmit radioactivity into the body, experts have warned, reported dpa news.
Scientists have so far collected more than 100 pieces of the meteorite, which hit the western province of Pinar del Rio on February 1.
Local people are reported to have picked up numerous other pieces to keep as souvenirs, the daily Granma reported on Tuesday.
The meteorite is believed to have originated in the asteroid Vesta, which is located at 372 million kilometers from the Earth.
It has been found to contain silica, iron, sulphur, magnesium as well as lowel levels of sodium, aluminum, potassium and calcium.
The meteorite has low levels of radioactivity, scientists were quoted as saying.
There is not a single reference cited here and categorically this is a false claim. There have *NEVER* been radioactive meteorites, Mr. Pitt has correctly stated these are stone meteorites not from the asteroid Vesta, and such a claim of radioactivity would need international and exact citations on research and warnings to be written plainly, (this having none as there are none).
This article is a hoax and is lacking even basic, professional journalism practices. There is no danger, these *stones* are not harmful, they are a result from an act of God and are of no hazard to people once they have fallen.
Great to see an expert opinion about the recent Meteorite recovered from Cuba .
Also, this meteorite is not from the asteroid Vesta. This meteorite is a chondrite….the material from the formerly volcanic Vesta is achondritic.
Darryl Pitt / Curator Macovich Collection of Meteorites
There is no dangerous radioactivity emitted by a freshly fallen meteorite. Expressing otherwise is dishonest and is only meant to inspire fear. There is more radioactivity emitted from a banana. The web provides many resources substantiating the same.
Darryl Pitt / Curator Macovich Collection of Meteorites
Sorry that’s a lie. These “experts” have no idea what they are talking about and have seen too many sci-fi movies. Meteorites are *not* any more radioactive than the rocks under your feet – or the jewelry you are already wearing…