Discovery of Coso Artifact

Date: February 13, 1961 • Location: Lone Pine, United States

Geode prospectors near Olancha, California, discovered what they claimed to be a 500,000-year-old rock with a 1920s-era spark plug encased within (pictured).

A geode is a geological secondary formation within sedimentary and volcanic rocks. Geodes are hollow, vaguely spherical rocks, in which masses of mineral matter are secluded.

This milestone marked a defining occurrence in United States's and world history, leaving an indelible imprint on societal development, international relations, and cultural memory. Its enduring ramifications continue to be examined and commemorated by historians and scholars across the globe.