Novel use of fingerprints on silver medallions.

[SkyMan]

I recently found out about a novel use of fingerprints on silver medallions. As all coin collectors know, fingerprints will react with silver, and eventually etch their imprint.

 

In 1971 Jim Irwin was the lunar module pilot on Apollo 15, and the 8th human to walk on the Moon. In his book To Rule the Night, Jim wrote "There were a number of things we left on the Moon purposely. I left some medallions, flat pieces of silver with the fingerprints of Mary and our children".

 

That seems to me by far the neatest personal item I've heard of left on the Moon. His wife's and his kids fingerprints will potentially last for hundreds of millions of years. Here's a link to a picture he took of the stuff he left on the Moon. If you blow it up you can easily see one medallion in his bootprint.

 

 

Apollo 15 Picture

[messydesk]

Cool! Although it looks like he left a cigarette butt there, too.