The Archaeology and Anthropology of Quaternary Period Cosmic Impact

Masse, W. Bruce

doi:10.1007/978-3-540-32711-0_2

Cited by 21 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 50 publications

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“…Recently there has been a resurgence of interest in young impact structures, because their frequency and size distribution has a direct bearing on the hazard to human society from impacts by asteroids and comets (Bobrowsky and Rickmann, 2007). A recent assessment of the Quaternary impact record indicates that there may have been more impacts than was generally believed from modelling based on the observed frequency and size distribution of Near-Earth Objects, such as asteroids and cometary fragments (Masse, 2007). The discovery in space and subsequent impact of asteroid 2008 TC 3 in the Nubian Desert of northern Sudan in October 2008, and the recovery of fragments of the asteroid, known as the Almahatta Sitta meteorite (Jenniskens et al, 2009), has added greatly to public interest in the impact hazard of Near-Earth Objects, and in the recent impact cratering record.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Lac Télé structure, Republic of Congo: Geological setting of a cryptozoological and biodiversity hotspot, and evidence against an impact origin

Master

2010

Journal of African Earth Sciences

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Lac Télé structure, Republic of Congo: Geological setting of a cryptozoological and biodiversity hotspot, and evidence against an impact origin

Master

2010

Journal of African Earth Sciences

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“…The second event dated at 590 CE is close to a catastrophic event triggered in CE 535 by an unknown explosion or eruption in the Indonesian-Northern Australian region (Keyes, 2000). The last event centred on 2850 BCE corresponds to a global catastrophe in 2807 BCE documented by Masse (2007). Finally, an event centred on 2050 BCE may also have a cosmic origin although the evidence is less conclusive.…”

Section: Storm Wave Transported Bouldersmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Finally, an event centred on 2050 BCE may also have a cosmic origin although the evidence is less conclusive. Its timing corresponds with the fall of the Akkadian empire in the Middle East at around 2200 BCE, which has been linked to an impact (Masse, 2007).…”

Section: Storm Wave Transported Bouldersmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Holocene paleo-tsunami history of West Australia

Scheffers

Kelletat

et al. 2008

Earth and Planetary Science Letters

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West Australian coastlines experienced several tsunamis in mid-Holocene times. To expand our knowledge about Holocene tsunami events in West Australia, the authors extended the previously studied spatial scale to include the central-and south-western coastlines. Several of the discovered events were mid-and young Holocene (≤1000 yr BP) tsunami impacts on the outer coast of the Cape Range Peninsula. Five hundred kilometres to the south between Cape Cuvier and Point Quobba, additional tsunami evidence exists on top of steep cliffs over a coastal stretch of 30 km. The sedimentary signature of two tsunamis is documented in this area by wide ridges comprised of sand, shell, and clasts (including coral fragments) at heights of 12-30 m asl and 300-500 m inland. Enigmatic boulders (20-100 tons) appear as cliff-top megaclasts up to 100 m inland. Here, radiocarbon dating revealed a minimum of two tsunami events: at 5700 yr BP with waves depositing sandy ridges far inland and at approximately 1000 yr BP with waves depositing boulders originating from the marine environment. As the first dates are congruent with previously published results for the Learmonth region 500 km to the north, we assume that the same mid-Holocene tsunami hits this long coastal section as well. The southwestern coast of West Australia from Cape Naturaliste to Albany also shows signs of impacts by extreme waves. Here, huge granite boulders (80-400 tons) were dislocated and transported to heights up to 10 m above sea level. The most prominent dislocated boulders were positioned at Merchant Rock (Cape Naturaliste National Park), at Islet near Nanarup, and in Cave Bay close to Albany.

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“…Biblical catastrophism was thus surpassed in favour of the modern theory of uniformitarism. (See Masse 1998, 2007 for the surprising results of a recent comparative mythology and environmental archaeology analysis of the flood myth).…”

Section: Geology and Mythmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, the sky is not simply the fixed celestial heavens of regularly moving and largely predictable stars, constellations, planets, Sun and Moon, but also is the abode of a large number of transient phenomena and events such as comets, novae, meteors and meteor storms, eclipses, auroras, and other such celestial and meteorological happenings. To the naked-eye observer, these are of differing motion, colour, size, duration, and location, often with associated real sensory physical characteristics such as the sounds of bolides and the suite of physical effects that accompany total solar eclipses and meteorite impacts (Masse 1995;Masse 2007;Masse & Espenak 2006;Masse et al 2007). A similar situation existed for Earthly geological events and processes.…”

Section: Toward a Natural Sciences Conception Of Mythmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the nature of myth and its role in science

Masse

Barber

Piccardi

et al. 2007

Self Cite

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Abstract:The scientific study of myth is dominated by a paradigm that recognizes myth as having been viewed as truthful narrative history by past traditional cultures and yet is considered false or otherwise suspect by the modern scholars who study myth. Although virtually all scholars recognize that myth was of critical importance for traditional cultures, the attempt to elicit scientific reasons for this importance has led to many competing theories, few of which place an emphasis on the validity of myths as representing the product of actual observed historical natural events. This paradox may hinder our understanding of the origins of myth and prevent us from fully appreciating a critical aspect of why myth was so highly valued by past cultures. To set the stage for our examination of the possible natural history core of myth, we discuss briefly the history of the western scientific study of myth, with an emphasis on geological sciences. We then explore the cognitive structure of myth and provide working principles about how the historical information contained in these myths can be transmitted faithfully through successive generations and can be elicited by scientific study. Although recognizing the extreme complexity of myth as a cultural product, our data indicate that a science-based natural history approach can lead to important insights regarding the nature of myth.

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The Archaeology and Anthropology of Quaternary Period Cosmic Impact

Cited by 21 publications

References 50 publications

Lac Télé structure, Republic of Congo: Geological setting of a cryptozoological and biodiversity hotspot, and evidence against an impact origin

Lac Télé structure, Republic of Congo: Geological setting of a cryptozoological and biodiversity hotspot, and evidence against an impact origin

The Holocene paleo-tsunami history of West Australia

Exploring the nature of myth and its role in science

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