Petrified Lightning - 1.549" Saharan Fulgurite glyptodon Even after the Statue of

Even after the Statue of Freedom was mounted at the apex of the dome in 1863

The large-scale geological event known as the End-Cretaceous Mass Extinction had a profound influence on life on our planet

and we're pleased to offer the remaining material as a single item

57" polished Cleoniceras fossil from Madagascar

Chondrules are made of silicate minerals and can be glassy or crystalline

Petrified Lightning - 1.549" Saharan Fulgurite glyptodon Even after the Statue ofAbove: Front of the Specimen Card. When lightning strikes dry sand, the intense heat melts and fuses the silica creating tubes of rough glass called fulgurites. The process happens quickly, often trapping molecules from the surrounding atmosphere inside the walls of the impact tube. These natural time capsules allow scientists to study the composition of ancient climates. This specimen is a 1. 549" fulgurite collected in the Sahara Desert. Originally