Breccia

Breccia is rock that is broken up into angular fragments, then embedded in a binding matrix (cementing material), and made into rock again. Shown above is a piece that’s maybe five feet (150 cm) wide exposed by erosion in Titus Canyon, Death Valley National Park. Emotionally sensitive geology lovers can get the impression from such a formation that there was hope on the part of the rock fragments that maybe, just maybe they could have made it all the way to becoming sand. After all, rock is simply an immature form of sand.

There are many types of breccia, one of which is called impact breccia. It is the most exciting because the impact is likely from an asteroid or comet. The rock above has some of the characteristics of impact breccia, and makes you wonder—are we seeing, frozen in time from the vast past, the evidence of an enormous rock from the infinite reaches of outer space slamming into our dear dirt ball and messing up some unfortunate rock smack in the middle of its quest to become sand? Imagine the rock’s upset, the dashed hopes, the anguish—it lasts forever it seems. The whole agonizing story is right there, right in front of us, but most people will simply walk away and search for the nearest Coke machine because it’s so blasted hot in this narrow crummy canyon and all the cup holders in the SUV are empty, empty mind you!

I’m so glad I can relate to the feelings of rocks.