Meteorite Man
It’s so much fun to listen who is enthusiastic about what he does. Dr. Don Stimpson loves science and he loves his work with meteorites.
Emporia Gazette reporter Scott Rochat and Dr. Stimpson discuss the meteorites that Stimpson dug up on his land in Kiowa County. The left rock weighs about 300 pounds and the one on the right, 325. At ESU today, Stimpson gave a fascinating talk on meteorites.
Stimpson, a biophysicist and meteorite hound, was familiar with the Brenham Strewnfield near Haviland and in 1994 when he had the opportunity, he and his wife purchased the property.
The finding and selling of meteorites has become a business - but not to Stimpson.
“I’m always asked, ‘How much does it weigh? How much it it worth?’ … Like looking at a Van Gogh, it’s not about money. It’s from an asteroid belt, that’s the worth.”
His plan is to use the meteorites to help promote the western Kansas region where the space rocks were discovered. He’s constructing a building to house the collection.
Check out Don Stimpson’s website.
And don’t miss the Meteorite Festival in Haviland on July 7, 2007.
And, here’s a bit more information about Stimpson and the Kansas Meteorite Farm.
Filed under: E-town, events, small towns on March 26th, 2007
It was a great presentation. What was most important was the mix in the audience. It was comprised of current and retired ESU faculty, general public, ESU students, youth with parents and media that were genuinely interested in the topic. Dr. Stimpson’s presentation worked for all attending.
What was neat was his little demonstrations in the classroom and the powerpoint which was the backbone of his talk.
Max McCoy who is working on a book on the Kansas Pallasite meteorite legacy agreed when I asked him if his book was a “PrairyErth” on meteorites in Kiowa County.
Sounds like a good guy, using the meteorites for something other than trying to get “rich” from his discoveries.