Learn about Tektites
Indochinites
Chinese Tektites
Order a tektite (or ask about them) by e-mail.
Tektites are made of glass--natural glass, not man-made glass. The are mostly black, but some--notably Moldavites--are green. They come in may shapes, but the most common ones resemble rounded pebbles with strange pits. Many are shard-like. The following sections explain more.
Tektites are found only in a relatively few areas of the world. This contrasts to meteorites which are found everywhere. The greatest concentration is in Australia and Southeast Asia.
The oldest tektites as determined by radiometiric dating are about 35 million years old. Moldavites (found in central Europe) are dated at 14.7 million years. Indochinites are all about 800,000 years old. These are all very young by the standards of meteorites--most meteorites show radiometric ages of over four billion years.
Scientists have hypothesized four possible origins for
tektites. The four are depicted on the adjacent drawing. They may
be rock melted when a meteorite blasted into the moon or the
Earth. They might also be the result of volcanism on the Earth or
moon.
Tektites have approximately the same chemical
composition as granite or ocean bottom sediments--the common
rocks of the Earth's crust.
Scientists believe that
Tektites flew through the atmosphere in a liquid state. Some were
spinning and formed the different common shapes. The adjacent
drawing shows how some of the shapes may have originated.
Indochinites
Chinese Tektites
Order
a tektite (or ask about them) by e-mail. Chose one you like, e-mail us the number, and we will give you information on
availability.
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