[meteorite-list] Gotta love freedom of speech

[Robert Woolard]

Rob, Geoff and List, 

 I'm sure ALL of us who have done any public speaking about meteorites have experienced the --- " Is it safe to touch (or be near) them? Aren't they radioactive? "---  concern that the general public seems to have. That question invariably comes up almost EVERY time with a new group of people. I know this didn't happen ( I mean, how many high school science classes spent even one minutes talking about meteorites when most of us were growing up??) , but it ALMOST seems that this fear was taught to everyone, it is so pervasive.  Funny/sad. 

  Best,
  Robert Woolard  



> Rob McCafferty posted:

> 

> > I got hauled over the coals because I didn't do a risk

> assessment on the likelyhood of contamination by microbial

> life from another world.

> > Some jackass in the H&S department thought he knew

> more about science than me.



> 

> 

> Dear Rob:

> 

> I once did a high school science fair demo about meteorites

> and meteorite hunting, and the lady organizing it was all

> worried about radiation.


 Salut,

 Geoff N