Video: What is the largest meteorite to hit Earth
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
Every day, many meteorites crash into the Earth's atmosphere, with a total weight of about 50 kg, but they burn up before reaching the planet's surface. Sometimes we can notice traces of such meteorites in the form of "shooting stars", but more often their fall remains completely unnoticed. Large meteorites, reaching several tens of tons, are another matter. And the largest of them is in Namibia.
In science fiction films, screenwriters often talk about a "suddenly appeared meteorite" that is about to meet the Earth and destroy all life on it. In fact, scientists know about all large cosmic bodies that may collide with our planet within the next hundred years. However, finding out about the past is not so easy.
The largest meteorite on Earth was found by accident. It is believed that he fell to Earth about 80 thousand years ago, and during this time the funnel and any other evidence of his fall disappeared. It's just that one day a farmer from Namibia began to cultivate his new vegetable garden and came across a huge piece of iron.
The Goba meteorite, which was named after the Goba West farm where it was found, now weighs about 66 tons (although it was never physically weighed) and is 84% iron, 16% nickel and a small fraction of cobalt. Such meteorites, in which the percentage of nickel exceeds 13%, are called ataxites. The top of the Goba meteorite is covered with iron hydroxides, which gives it its peculiar characteristic rust color.
It is believed that earlier, in prehistoric times, when the meteorite just fell, it weighed much more - about 90 tons. Then erosion, scientific research, and mainly vandalism helped him "lose weight" up to 60 tons. So that those who wish no longer chop off pieces for themselves "for memory", the local government declared the meteorite a national monument, organized its protection and equipped the surrounding area, especially since the farmer donated this piece of his land to the state. Now thousands of tourists come here, and the meteorite has stopped "losing weight".
Now the Goba meteorite is a large metal body 2.7 x 2.7 x 0.9 meters. Scientists believe it is between 190 and 410 million years old. However, why didn't he leave the crater? One theory is that 80,000 years ago, when it fell to Earth, southern Africa was covered in ice, so that the crater was, but eventually disappeared along with the ice.
Interestingly, such "iron meteorites" often fall on the Earth, but only five percent of them reach the planet's surface. And the Goba meteorite, being the largest of them, now bears traces of the presence of a person - in several places it is pretty scratched, several chips are still visible, and in some places negligent tourists even managed to scrawl their names on it.
Another famous meteorite - Fukan, which is the same age as our planet and looks like a gem.
Based on materials from thevintagenews.com
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