Comet/Asteroid Views Evolve 08/12/2003
We have been told for decades that comets are the most pristine objects in the solar system, kept in deep freeze since its origin. That view has “evolved,” says
Southwest Research Institute, because astronomers have become aware of processes that can modify them over time. Also, methods of classifying comets and asteroids need modification, claims the
Royal Astronomical Society. Categorizing them as Centaurs, Kuiper-Belt Objects, long- and short-period comets, etc. is misleading, because there are hybrid objects and no clear divisions in some cases.
The point is that science is always changing. How many planetarium shows or science TV programs have you heard that made the claim that comets are pristine objects, unmodified for 4.6 billion years? That they give us glimpses into the earliest state of the solar nebula before the planets formed? We’ve seen some radical rewriting of solar system formation theories recently. What commonly-accepted truths are being spouted today that are in for radical revision tomorrow? Darwinian evolution, maybe?
Link
Be sure to check out the above Darwinian evolution link as well.