Perak's Bukit Bunuh seeks recognition as meteorite impact site

GEORGE TOWN, (Penang, Malaysia) July 16 (Bernama) -- Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) is expected to send a summary of findings to prove Bukit Bunuh is a meteorite impact area to The Planetary and Space Science Centre (PASSC) at the University of Brunswick in Canada by year end. Its Deputy Vice-Chancellor Prof Omar Osman said the summary was vital to register Bukit Bunuh in Perak state as one of the world's 28 meteorite impact areas which revealed evidence of suevite stone from a total of 896 world meteorite impact sites. "This will turn Bukit Bunuh into a world reference site for meteorite impact studies and mark Malaysia in the World Meteorite Impact Area Map," Omar told reporters on Monday. The professor had earlier officiated the International Conference on Archaeogeology of Meteorite Impact At Bukit Bunuh Area in Lenggong at a four-day seminar organised by USM beginning July 15. The seminar features 16 working papers presented by geologists and archaeologists as well as four keynote papers to be delivered by USM Global Archaeology Research Centre director Prof Dr Mokhtar Saidin, meteorite expert from the Natural History Museum in Vienna, Austria, Dr Ludovic Ferriere and Prof Dr Sheila Mishra, archaeology expert from Deccan College, Pune, India. Findings in Bukit Bunuh carried out since 2001 showed it as one of the world's most important Paleolithic sites after it revealed the site of a meteorite fall over 1.83 million years ago. Studies have also placed Bukit Bunuh as one of the oldest geo-chronologically dated sites outside Africa, with findings supporting the theory that the disappearence of the local Paleolithic culture was caused by the meteorite impact. Omar said recognition of Bukit Bunuh as a meteorite impact site would give higher added-value to the Lenggong heritage and national treasure in particular in the aspect of world civilisation. "This is part of the university's contribution to the world, so it is hoped that the Heritage Department, Mineral and Geosciences Department, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Malaya and Universiti Teknologi Petronas will continue with USM to rehabilitate the Lenggong Valley as a world heritage," he added. -- BERNAMA