The State Geologist of Indiana, John Collett, was said to possess a watch chain made entirely of meteoric materials. Could this possibly be true? Or was it like the aerolite that had killed Leonidas Grover, then on display in Collett’s museum?
It was once a widely reported scientific theory that diamonds were formed in the fiery fall of meteors to earth. Was it true?
They Came From Outer Space – Killer Meteors Killer Meteors and aerolites in the 19th century press. The 19th-century papers revelled in stories about falling stars and meteors. Interesting as these are, I am more interested in the human-aerolite interactions reported. There was a silly-season popularity for stories of houses set on fire by meteors or people killed by them. Here are some choice specimens of vintage sky-falls and murderous meteors.