| Abstract: | The change of opinion concerning the stories of stones falling from the sky that took place around 1800 is examined. The meteorite literature during and after 1803 shows that a decisive role was played by the chemists Howard, Vauquelin, Fourcroy, and Klaproth, the importance of which exceeded that of J.B. Biot's report on the fall of L'Aigle. Biot's report underlined the change of opinion brought about by the chemical work. The importance of chemistry at this stage probably had a considerable influence on the history and possibly even the present nature of meteoritics. |
