SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
20,000 Pound Meteor Explodes over Russia, Injuring Hundreds
Feb 15, 2013
The dramatic footage captured by a dashboard video camera in the Chelyabinsk region of Russia in the nation's south-central shows what scientists say was a more than 10 ton meteor entering the atmosphere at over 33,000 miles per hour.
Once meteors break through the atmosphere and explode, the pieces that actually hit the Earth's surface are called meteorites. It is so far unclear how much damage on the ground -- and over how large an area -- was caused by actually pieces of the exploded object or by the sonic boom that accompanied the initial explosion. Expert observers calculate that the meteor "pancaked" and incinerated approximately 25 miles above the ground.
The Associated Press reports:
The fall caused explosions that broke glass over a wide area. The Emergency Ministry says more than 500 people sought treatment after the blasts and that 34 of them were hospitalized.
"There was panic. People had no idea what was happening. Everyone was going around to people's houses to check if they were OK," said Sergey Hametov, a resident of Chelyabinsk, about 1500 kilometers (930 miles) east of Moscow, the biggest city in the affected region.
"We saw a big burst of light then went outside to see what it was and we heard a really loud thundering sound," he told The Associated Press by telephone.
Captured from another angle:
__________________________
An Unconstitutional Rampage
Trump and Musk are on an unconstitutional rampage, aiming for virtually every corner of the federal government. These two right-wing billionaires are targeting nurses, scientists, teachers, daycare providers, judges, veterans, air traffic controllers, and nuclear safety inspectors. No one is safe. The food stamps program, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are next. It’s an unprecedented disaster and a five-alarm fire, but there will be a reckoning. The people did not vote for this. The American people do not want this dystopian hellscape that hides behind claims of “efficiency.” Still, in reality, it is all a giveaway to corporate interests and the libertarian dreams of far-right oligarchs like Musk. Common Dreams is playing a vital role by reporting day and night on this orgy of corruption and greed, as well as what everyday people can do to organize and fight back. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover issues the corporate media never will, but we can only continue with our readers’ support. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
The dramatic footage captured by a dashboard video camera in the Chelyabinsk region of Russia in the nation's south-central shows what scientists say was a more than 10 ton meteor entering the atmosphere at over 33,000 miles per hour.
Once meteors break through the atmosphere and explode, the pieces that actually hit the Earth's surface are called meteorites. It is so far unclear how much damage on the ground -- and over how large an area -- was caused by actually pieces of the exploded object or by the sonic boom that accompanied the initial explosion. Expert observers calculate that the meteor "pancaked" and incinerated approximately 25 miles above the ground.
The Associated Press reports:
The fall caused explosions that broke glass over a wide area. The Emergency Ministry says more than 500 people sought treatment after the blasts and that 34 of them were hospitalized.
"There was panic. People had no idea what was happening. Everyone was going around to people's houses to check if they were OK," said Sergey Hametov, a resident of Chelyabinsk, about 1500 kilometers (930 miles) east of Moscow, the biggest city in the affected region.
"We saw a big burst of light then went outside to see what it was and we heard a really loud thundering sound," he told The Associated Press by telephone.
Captured from another angle:
__________________________
The dramatic footage captured by a dashboard video camera in the Chelyabinsk region of Russia in the nation's south-central shows what scientists say was a more than 10 ton meteor entering the atmosphere at over 33,000 miles per hour.
Once meteors break through the atmosphere and explode, the pieces that actually hit the Earth's surface are called meteorites. It is so far unclear how much damage on the ground -- and over how large an area -- was caused by actually pieces of the exploded object or by the sonic boom that accompanied the initial explosion. Expert observers calculate that the meteor "pancaked" and incinerated approximately 25 miles above the ground.
The Associated Press reports:
The fall caused explosions that broke glass over a wide area. The Emergency Ministry says more than 500 people sought treatment after the blasts and that 34 of them were hospitalized.
"There was panic. People had no idea what was happening. Everyone was going around to people's houses to check if they were OK," said Sergey Hametov, a resident of Chelyabinsk, about 1500 kilometers (930 miles) east of Moscow, the biggest city in the affected region.
"We saw a big burst of light then went outside to see what it was and we heard a really loud thundering sound," he told The Associated Press by telephone.
Captured from another angle:
__________________________
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.