A team of Canadian researchers claim to have discovered two new minerals from their analysis of the world's ninth-largest meteorite discovered in Somalia.

They indicate that a potential third new mineral might also be present in the 15-tonne meteorite that landed in east Africa, near the town of El Ali, in the Hiiraan region.

As per The Guardian, the meteorite dubbed "nightfall" by locals, and El Ali by western scientists was unearthed in 2020.&nbsp;

However, locals claim that the extraterrestrial rock has been known to them for ages.

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For classification purposes, a 70-gram slice of the iron-based meteorite was sent to the University of Alberta's meteorite collection. There Dr Chris Herd, the curator of the collection noticed "unusual" minerals in the rock.

The newly discovered minerals have been named elaliite, and elkinstantonite. The name 'elaliite' comes from the rock's location of El Ali town, while 'elkinstantonite', pays tribute to Lindy Elkins-Tanton, the principal investigator of Nasa’s upcoming Psyche mission that aims to send a spacecraft to a metal-rich asteroid.

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“Lindy has done a lot of work on how the cores of planets form, how these iron-nickel cores form, and the closest analogue we have are iron meteorites. So it made sense to name a mineral after her and recognise her contributions to science,” Herd was quoted as saying by Guardian.

Herd who is a professor in the department of Earth and atmospheric sciences then asked a colleague Andrew Locock, the head of the university’s electron microprobe laboratory, to examine the sample.

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It was Locock who determined that the meteorite contains two new minerals. The third potential mineral's confirmation is pending analysis.

"That was phenomenal," says Herd, adding that while in the 1980s similar minerals were created in the laboratory, this is the first time they've been recorded as appearing in nature.

He remarked that this could help ascertain how "nature's laboratory" works and that the minerals could have real-world uses. &nbsp;

The University of Alberta wanted to further examine the extraterrestrial rock, however, as per Herd, there are reports that it has been removed to China, where it may be put on the market. Meteorites have a niche in international markets where they are often brought and sold for very lucrative amounts.

(With inputs from agencies)

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A team of Canadian researchers claim to have discovered two new minerals from their analysis of the world's ninth-largest meteorite discovered in Somalia. They indicate that a potential third new mineral might also be present in the 15-tonne meteorite that landed in east Africa, near the town of El Ali, in the Hiiraan region.

A team of Canadian researchers claim to have discovered two new minerals from their analysis of the world's ninth-largest meteorite discovered in Somalia. They indicate that a potential third new mineral might also be present in the 15-tonne meteorite that landed in east Africa, near the town of El Ali, in the Hiiraan region. As per The Guardian, the meteorite dubbed "nightfall" by locals, and El Ali by western scientists was unearthed in 2020. However, locals claim that the extraterrestrial rock has been known to them for ages. Watch | All the times humanity tried to communicate with aliens For classification purposes, a 70-gram slice of the iron-based meteorite was sent to the University of Alberta's meteorite collection. There Dr Chris Herd, the curator of the collection noticed "unusual" minerals in the rock. The newly discovered minerals have been named elaliite, and elkinstantonite. The name 'elaliite' comes from the rock's location of El Ali town, while 'elkinstantonite', pays tribute to Lindy Elkins-Tanton, the principal investigator of Nasa’s upcoming Psyche mission that aims to send a spacecraft to a metal-rich asteroid. Also read | NASA shares picture of Pluto, the 'dwarf planet' showing its 'real colours'. Take a look! “Lindy has done a lot of work on how the cores of planets form, how these iron-nickel cores form, and the closest analogue we have are iron meteorites. So it made sense to name a mineral after her and recognise her contributions to science,” Herd was quoted as saying by Guardian. Herd who is a professor in the department of Earth and atmospheric sciences then asked a colleague Andrew Locock, the head of the university’s electron microprobe laboratory, to examine the sample. Also read | NASA finds 'super earth' exoplanet with lava hellscape surface just 200 light years away It was Locock who determined that the meteorite contains two new minerals. The third potential mineral's confirmation is pending analysis. "That was phenomenal," says Herd, adding that while in the 1980s similar minerals were created in the laboratory, this is the first time they've been recorded as appearing in nature. He remarked that this could help ascertain how "nature's laboratory" works and that the minerals could have real-world uses. The University of Alberta wanted to further examine the extraterrestrial rock, however, as per Herd, there are reports that it has been removed to China, where it may be put on the market. Meteorites have a niche in international markets where they are often brought and sold for very lucrative amounts. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Analysis of meteorite reveals two alien 'never before seen on Earth' minerals

Iraq unveils archaeological park with 'monumental' ancient carvings

Archeologists have found a gold funeral mask that is believed to be approximately 3,000 years old. It was discovered in a tomb in the ancient noble city of Zhengzhou in central China.

Given that modern treasures are typically made of bronze and jade, the piece is thought to be the oldest gold object ever discovered in central China.&nbsp;Unlike gold masks unearthed at ancient Shu civilization sites in Southwest China's Sichuan Province, the mask from China's Central Plains culture is large enough to cover a person's complete face.

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Speaking to China News Service, Huang Fucheng, a researcher at the Zhengzhou Municipal Institute of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology disclosed that the gold mask is large enough to cover an adult's entire face at 7.2 inches (18.3 cm) long and 5.7 inches (14.5 cm) wide and weighs 1.4-ounce (40 grams).

The gold mask was discovered among the ruins of a Shang dynasty (1600 BC–1046 BC) tomb in Shangcheng county, Henan province.

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Talking to Henan Broadcasting System Gu Wanfa, director of the Zhengzhou Municipal Research Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology said that the gold mask was probably meant to keep the deceased's spirit whole and may have represented that they possessed an "imperishable gold body" reported SCMP.

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“There has been a saying about bubaijinshen, or an imperishable gold body, since ancient times in China. [The gold mask] proves that the concept had existed since the Shang dynasty,” he said.

According to Chen Lüsheng, deputy director of the National Museum of China in Beijing, the recently discovered Zhengzhou tomb is a major discovery for research into the Shang Dynasty's burial customs and may potentially offer fresh insight into the beginnings of Chinese civilization.

Archeologists have found a gold funeral mask that is believed to be approximately 3,000 years old. It was discovered in a tomb in the ancient noble city of Zhengzhou in central China.

Archeologists have found a gold funeral mask that is believed to be approximately 3,000 years old. It was discovered in a tomb in the ancient noble city of Zhengzhou in central China. Given that modern treasures are typically made of bronze and jade, the piece is thought to be the oldest gold object ever discovered in central China. Unlike gold masks unearthed at ancient Shu civilization sites in Southwest China's Sichuan Province, the mask from China's Central Plains culture is large enough to cover a person's complete face. Watch | Archaeologists unearth pre-human tooth dating back 1.8 million years Speaking to China News Service, Huang Fucheng, a researcher at the Zhengzhou Municipal Institute of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology disclosed that the gold mask is large enough to cover an adult's entire face at 7.2 inches (18.3 cm) long and 5.7 inches (14.5 cm) wide and weighs 1.4-ounce (40 grams). The gold mask was discovered among the ruins of a Shang dynasty (1600 BC–1046 BC) tomb in Shangcheng county, Henan province. Also read | Palestinian farmer unearths a Byzantine-era mosaic in Gaza while planting olive tree Talking to Henan Broadcasting System Gu Wanfa, director of the Zhengzhou Municipal Research Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology said that the gold mask was probably meant to keep the deceased's spirit whole and may have represented that they possessed an "imperishable gold body" reported SCMP. Also read | A rare ‘frozen in time’ Ramses II-era burial cave found in Israel “There has been a saying about bubaijinshen, or an imperishable gold body, since ancient times in China. [The gold mask] proves that the concept had existed since the Shang dynasty,” he said. According to Chen Lüsheng, deputy director of the National Museum of China in Beijing, the recently discovered Zhengzhou tomb is a major discovery for research into the Shang Dynasty's burial customs and may potentially offer fresh insight into the beginnings of Chinese civilization.

Archaeologists unearth China's 'oldest gold object', a funeral mask

A near 1,900-year-old skeleton was found at the site of future housing development in Cambridgeshire. Initially, it did not seem noteworthy. However, when the remains were sent to a lab in Bedford, a grisly discovery was made, a nail through the heel bone. As far as experts are concerned, this is one of the best pieces of physical evidence of crucifixion in ancient Rome.

The man, believed to be in his mid-thirties at the time of his death, was buried with his arms crossed in a grave with a wooden structure, possibly a bier, in one of five ancient cemeteries around the newly discovered Roman settlement at Fenstanton, near Cambridge.

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Radiocarbon dating reveals that the Fenstanton man lived between AD130 and AD360, making his bones between 1,661 and 1,891 years old.&nbsp;

Nails used for crucifixion – the method of capital punishment by which the victim is tied or nailed to a large wooden beam and left to hang until death – are a rare find, most likely because the victims would not often have received proper burial and, contrary to popular views, it was commonly carried out using a rope.

It is rare to find nails used in the crucifixion, a form of capital punishment in which victims are nailed or tied to a wooden beam and hung from it until they die. Most likely, this is because the victims rarely received proper burials and, contrary to popular belief, they were usually hung by a rope.

After a prolonged analysis, crucifixion emerged as the most likely explanation. On Wednesday, British Archaeology magazine published the first details of this extraordinary find.

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The skeleton was found in November 2017 without the nail being noticed due to its small size and the caked-on mud where it protruded. Actually, the nail was not revealed until the bones were bagged and transported to the lab for cleaning.

According to Albion Archaeology director David Ingham, this was the first time a nail had been found in an archaeologically exhumed skeleton. It's not the sort of thing you're looking for, he said.

He explained that because of historical records, archaeologists know a fair amount about crucifixion, including how, when, and where it was performed. However, this is the first tangible evidence to demonstrate how it worked.

It is also a significant discovery since it is very rare for a crucifixion victim's body to be reclaimed, brought back to a settlement, and buried with others.

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The cause, the identity of the man, and the reasons for the crucifixion will never be known, but it is believed that Romans reserved the crucifixion for slaves, rebels, and members of the lower classes.

A nail was found in the right heel bone of the Fenstanton man, the calcaneum, which was probably inserted into the side of an upright timber. It is likely that the crucifixion took place somewhere else, possibly by a roadside.

This is the first crucifixion-related find that has been reported in northern Europe, and it was the fourth reported worldwide; two of the finds did not have nails.

A near 1,900-year-old skeleton was found at the site of future housing development in Cambridgeshire. Initially, it did not seem noteworthy. However, when the remains were sent to a lab in Bedford, a grisly discovery was made, a nail through the heel bone.

A near 1,900-year-old skeleton was found at the site of future housing development in Cambridgeshire. Initially, it did not seem noteworthy. However, when the remains were sent to a lab in Bedford, a grisly discovery was made, a nail through the heel bone. As far as experts are concerned, this is one of the best pieces of physical evidence of crucifixion in ancient Rome. The man, believed to be in his mid-thirties at the time of his death, was buried with his arms crossed in a grave with a wooden structure, possibly a bier, in one of five ancient cemeteries around the newly discovered Roman settlement at Fenstanton, near Cambridge. Also read | Tonight, tomorrow...Resplendent Geminid meteor shower to light up the skies Radiocarbon dating reveals that the Fenstanton man lived between AD130 and AD360, making his bones between 1,661 and 1,891 years old. Nails used for crucifixion – the method of capital punishment by which the victim is tied or nailed to a large wooden beam and left to hang until death – are a rare find, most likely because the victims would not often have received proper burial and, contrary to popular views, it was commonly carried out using a rope. It is rare to find nails used in the crucifixion, a form of capital punishment in which victims are nailed or tied to a wooden beam and hung from it until they die. Most likely, this is because the victims rarely received proper burials and, contrary to popular belief, they were usually hung by a rope. After a prolonged analysis, crucifixion emerged as the most likely explanation. On Wednesday, British Archaeology magazine published the first details of this extraordinary find. Also read | Wait, what!? Scientists say water in our oceans has alien origins The skeleton was found in November 2017 without the nail being noticed due to its small size and the caked-on mud where it protruded. Actually, the nail was not revealed until the bones were bagged and transported to the lab for cleaning. According to Albion Archaeology director David Ingham, this was the first time a nail had been found in an archaeologically exhumed skeleton. It's not the sort of thing you're looking for, he said. He explained that because of historical records, archaeologists know a fair amount about crucifixion, including how, when, and where it was performed. However, this is the first tangible evidence to demonstrate how it worked. It is also a significant discovery since it is very rare for a crucifixion victim's body to be reclaimed, brought back to a settlement, and buried with others. Also read | In Egypt, archaeologists uncover two 2,500-year-old tombs, golden tongues from the Saite Dynasty The cause, the identity of the man, and the reasons for the crucifixion will never be known, but it is believed that Romans reserved the crucifixion for slaves, rebels, and members of the lower classes. A nail was found in the right heel bone of the Fenstanton man, the calcaneum, which was probably inserted into the side of an upright timber. It is likely that the crucifixion took place somewhere else, possibly by a roadside. This is the first crucifixion-related find that has been reported in northern Europe, and it was the fourth reported worldwide; two of the finds did not have nails.

Amazing discovery: 1900 year old body of a crucifixion victim, discovered in England

Researchers examining an ancient Egyptian mummy discovered that it was that of a woman who had been seven months pregnant. It was a discovery that shocked Wojciech Ejsmond, the lead author of the study.

“I was speechless because we didn’t expect such a discovery,” he said. “The pregnancy was a complete surprise.”

This is the world's first known case of such a well-preserved ancient mummy of a pregnant woman said researchers on Thursday. The scans reveal the woman was 28 weeks into her pregnancy — about seven months — when she died.

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The mummy was donated to Warsaw in 1826 and the inscription on the coffin named a male priest. No previous examination had disproved the belief that it was a male.

Marzena Ozarek-Szilke, an anthropologist and archeologist while examining said, "When we saw the little foot and then the little hand (of the fetus), we were shocked."

When anthropologist Marzena Ozarek-Szilke was observing CT scans and X-rays of the pelvis area, she saw some anomalies and some "weird-looking objects inside." Ozarek-Szilke told the Associated Press, "Our first surprise was that it has no penis, but instead it has breasts and long hair, and then we found out it was a pregnant woman."

Researchers while observing the size of the baby’s skull suggested she was 26 to 28 weeks pregnant. On further investigation, Ozarek found the remains of a fetus that had been left intact in the uterus and mummified together with its mother, who is thought to be in her 20s.

Their findings from the Warsaw Mummy Project of years of tests on this were published this week in the Journal of Archaeological Science.

"We do not know why the foetus was not taken out of the belly of the deceased during mummification," Ejsmond said.

Researchers thought the mummified individual was a man because it was found in a male coffin. That is why scientists believe "mummy is truly unique."

The excellent amount of emballing suggests that the woman was buried with a large amount of jewelry and she belonged to a wealthy family. Her identity is not known as the mummy has not been opened.

However, based on scans scientists rule out the woman had curly hair down to her shoulders.

(With inputs from agencies)

Researchers examining an ancient Egyptian mummy discovered that it was that of a woman who had been seven months pregnant. It was a discovery that shocked Wojciech Ejsmond, the lead author of the study.

Researchers examining an ancient Egyptian mummy discovered that it was that of a woman who had been seven months pregnant. It was a discovery that shocked Wojciech Ejsmond, the lead author of the study. “I was speechless because we didn’t expect such a discovery,” he said. “The pregnancy was a complete surprise.” This is the world's first known case of such a well-preserved ancient mummy of a pregnant woman said researchers on Thursday. The scans reveal the woman was 28 weeks into her pregnancy — about seven months — when she died. Also read: ‘That’s a lot of teeth’: Researchers discover 2.5 billion Tyrannosaurus rex The mummy was donated to Warsaw in 1826 and the inscription on the coffin named a male priest. No previous examination had disproved the belief that it was a male. Marzena Ozarek-Szilke, an anthropologist and archeologist while examining said, "When we saw the little foot and then the little hand (of the fetus), we were shocked." When anthropologist Marzena Ozarek-Szilke was observing CT scans and X-rays of the pelvis area, she saw some anomalies and some "weird-looking objects inside." Ozarek-Szilke told the Associated Press, "Our first surprise was that it has no penis, but instead it has breasts and long hair, and then we found out it was a pregnant woman." Researchers while observing the size of the baby’s skull suggested she was 26 to 28 weeks pregnant. On further investigation, Ozarek found the remains of a fetus that had been left intact in the uterus and mummified together with its mother, who is thought to be in her 20s. Their findings from the Warsaw Mummy Project of years of tests on this were published this week in the Journal of Archaeological Science. "We do not know why the foetus was not taken out of the belly of the deceased during mummification," Ejsmond said. Researchers thought the mummified individual was a man because it was found in a male coffin. That is why scientists believe "mummy is truly unique." The excellent amount of emballing suggests that the woman was buried with a large amount of jewelry and she belonged to a wealthy family. Her identity is not known as the mummy has not been opened. However, based on scans scientists rule out the woman had curly hair down to her shoulders. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists discover Egyptian mummy of a 28-weeks pregnant woman

Egypt has unveiled a significant new archaeological discovery at the Saqqara necropolis south of Cairo, including 54 wooden coffins, many of which can be traced back 3000 years to the New Kingdom period.

Egypt unveils 3000-year old coffins in latest archaeological discovery

Archaeological discovery in Egypt 'rewrites history' as we know it!

Egypt on Thursday (January 30) unveiled a new archaeological discovery in the southern governorate of Minya, including 16 communal tombs belonging to the high priests of god Djehuty and senior officials of the late period.

Egypt unveils 2,500-year-tombs of high priests in southern city

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