THE 500,000 YEAR OLD COSO ARTIFACT
An ARTIFICIAL OBJECT EMBEDDED in a GEODE...by Brian Wood (brian@lvld.hp.com)
A brief segment on "In Search Of," presented a very strange artificial object that apparently had been found by some "rock hounds" who were in a desert in the western United States looking for geodes. The geode, when cut open, revealed a strange object within. X-Rays showed a seemingly artificial object that looked like an electronic device similar to a capacitor. The program went on to say that a geologist "unofficially" dated the age of the geode which had the embedded artificial object in it to be approximately 500,000 years old.
This object came to be known as the Coso artifact. It was reported in Brad Steiger's book "Mysteries of Space and Time," and also in "Secrets of the Lost Races," by Rene Noorbergen (p. 43). The latter book mentioned that the object was reported on in detail by the International Fortean Organization. I found their address in a large reference book on organizations and called them. I found out that the object was reported on in their INFO Journal, Vol. 1, issue 4, (Spring, 1969). Copies can be ordered from "INFO Journal," P.O. Box 367, Arlington, VA 22210-0367 (301-294-4315). They do not have any issues left in original condition -- just xerox copies, which do not reproduce the photos of the X-rays very well.
The names of the people who found the artifact were Mike Mikesell, Wallace Lane, and Virginia Maxey. They found the item February 13, 1961, on a mountain peak 4300 feet high, about 340 feet above the dry, Owens Lake, six miles northeast of Olancha, CA. Geologists think that about 1000 years ago, Owens Lake was as high as the top of that peak.
The INFO article states that a member of INFO visited Maxey and Lane. Maxey stated that the object isn't magnetic "now" (article printed in 1969, remember), but she apparently said it WAS magnetic in a Feb, 1961 article in Desert Magazine.
The INFO article concludes with the statement that no professional scientist has ever investigated the artifact, and that the owners are asking an "exorbitant payment" before they'll let anyone examine it. And so it goes.
If we assume that it is an 'alien' artifact and not just a fossil encrusted spark plug, what might it be? My guess would be some sort of antenna. The construction reminds me of modern attempts at superconductors. Wonder if anyone's tried replicating the thing using ceramic superconductors and then cooling the thing off with liquid nitrogen to see what happens.
© Brian Wood, used with permission. Brian Wood is the International Director of MICAP (Multinational Investigations Cooperative on Aerial Phenomena) and Producer/Director of The ParaNet Continuum Radio Program
ParaNet is a global communications network covering all aspects of UFOs and the paranormal, and can be found on The Microsoft Network (MSN). MICAP runs a Fidonet-based BBS and can be reached through any of the over 50 BBSs that carry it (call 800-836-6381 for more information on either organization or email ParaNet@paranet.org, ParaNet@msn.com or info@micap.org). ParaNet publishes a quarterly magazine called "Continuum" and runs a weekly, nationally-syndicated, radio talk-show called "The ParaNet Continuum."