Libyan desert glass, a rare and mysterious yellow glass found in Egypt and Libya, has been the subject of debate among scientists for almost a century. Its origin is still unknown, with some suggesting it might be from volcanoes on the moon and others proposing it's the product of lightning strikes.
The Great Sand Sea Desert stretches over an area of 72,000 square kilometers linking Egypt and Libya. If you find yourself in a particular part of the desert in south-east Libya and south-western parts of Egypt , you’ll spot pieces of yellow glass scattered across the sandy landscape. It was first described in a scientific paper in 1933 and is known as Libyan desert glass. Mineral collectors value it for its beauty, its relative rarity and its mystery.
A pendant found in Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun’s tomb contains a piece of the glass. Natural glasses are found elsewhere in the world; examples include moldavites from the Ries crater in Europe and tektites from the Ivory Coast. But none are as rich in silica as Libyan desert glass, nor are they found in such large lumps and quantities. The origin of the glass has been the subject of debate among scientists for almost a century. Some suggested it might be from volcanoes on the moon. Others propose it’s the product of lightning strikes ("fulgurites" – glass that forms from fusion of sand and soil where they are hit by lightning
Libyan Desert Glass Egypt Libya Sand Silica Volcanoes Moon Lightning Strikes
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Mystery of Mummified Baboons Found in Egypt May Finally Be SolvedThe Best in Science News and Amazing Breakthroughs
Read more »
Mysterious lights in San Diego sky came from Navy parachute team, not UFOsPeople across San Diego witnessed mysterious lights in the sky on Sunday night.
Read more »
Sony’s Movie Slate Limbo Makes Spider-Man 4’s Future More Mysterious Than EverOne Spider-Man-related project at Sony has been stuck in development hell for several years, but this uncertainty may benefit the MCU's Spider-Man 4.
Read more »
Sudan Oscar Entry ‘Goodbye Julia’ Enjoys B.O. Success In EgyptMohamed Kordofani’s Khartoum-set drama Goodbye Julia made history at Cannes earlier this year as the first Sudanese feature to play in the festival across its 76 editions. Six months on, the film i…
Read more »
Live blog: Gaza-Egypt border crossing reopened for evacuations: HamasThe Rafah crossing reopened after an agreement with Israel — secured with Egyptian mediation — to allow the evacuation of 30 wounded people.
Read more »