Petrified Lightning - 2.12" Saharan Fulgurite woollymammoth nearly 20 million years after

nearly 20 million years after their first appearance

Beginning with rare gems formed in the heart of an asteroid during the formation of the solar system

The first fish had begun to evolve and make their homes among the colorful coral reefs of the sea

embedded in the Mini Museum

This is one reason that pallasite formation is such an active topic in the scientific community

Petrified Lightning - 2.12" Saharan Fulgurite woollymammoth nearly 20 million years afterAbove: Front of the Specimen Card. When lightning strikes dry sand, the intense heat melts and fuses the silica creating tubes of rough glass called fulgurites. The process happens quickly, often trapping molecules from the surrounding atmosphere inside the walls of the impact tube. These natural time capsules allow scientists to study the composition of ancient climates. This specimen is a 2. 12" fulgurite collected in the Sahara Desert. Originally