Gary Gilligan has a new book, 'Extraterrestrial Sands' which is available via Amazon. Quartz sand is anywhere and everywhere imaginable on the surface of the Earth. Sand can be found on deserts like the Sahara, Arabian and Gobi deserts, and the Kalahari, Atacama and Australian deserts – but where does it all come from? The consensus opinion is that it formed over millions and millions of years through erosion of rocks. However, the Sahara and Arabia were green until five thousand years ago – even wet until 8000 years ago. Now they have sand seas, sand storms, and sand drifts. Not everywhere of course – but in deep pockets. Gary Gilligan attempts to address the mystery of sand dune formation and offers up the idea it may have an extraterrestrial origin. We know that rocks can fall out of the sky, even gravel – but can sand have an origin outside the terrestrial sphere? It's an interesting theory as sand dunes must have formed quickly if there was a shortage of sand in the Sahara 5000 years ago.
The book is due out in April 2016 (but can be pre-ordered) ISBN 9781 7858 91694