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Bloody rain again! Red rain and meteors in history and myth

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 January 2008

P. McCafferty
P. McCafferty
Affiliation:
Irish and Celtic Studies, Queens University Belfast, 9 University Square, Belfast BT7 1NN, Northern Ireland and Armagh Observatory. College Hill, Armagh BT61 9DG, Northern Ireland e-mail: pmccafferty03@qub.ac.uk
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Abstract

In July 2001, red rain fell over Kerala in India shortly after reports of a meteor. When analysed, this red rain appeared to contain red cells, apparently demonstrating that such cells must exist in space and that the theory of panspermia is correct. However, doubts have been expressed about whether reports of a meteor were merely a coincidence. This paper examines historical and mythical accounts of red rain, to establish if these, too, show a connection with meteors.

Keywords

astrobiologycometomythologyhistorymeteorsmythred rain
Type
Research Article
Information
International Journal of Astrobiology , Volume 7 , Issue 1 , January 2008 , pp. 9 - 15
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

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