Philosophy
Fragility of the human species--Tunguska [1908]
In 1908, at around 7:15 am, northwest of Lake Baikal, Russia, a huge fireball nearly as bright as the Sun was seen crossing the sky. Minutes later, there was a huge flash and a shock wave felt up to 650 km (400 mi) away. Over Tunguska, a meteorite over 50-m diameter, travelling at over 25 km per second (60,000 mph) penetrated Earth's atmosphere, heated to about 10,000 ºC and detonated 6 to10 km above the ground. The blast released the energy of 10-50 Megatons of TNT, destroying 2,200 sq km of forest leaving no trace of life. The Tunguska rock came out of the Taurid Meteor storm that crosses Earth's orbit twice a year. The first scientific expedition for which records survive was made by Russian mineralogist Leonid Kulik in 1927.Tunguska [Wikipedia]
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Cosmological Physics In Action
Russia was treated to cosmological physics and a reminder at just how fragile humanity can be. "Falling Meteor Explodes Over Russia" Collision With Atmosphere Sends Bright Light and Shock Wave Across Ural Mountains; 1,000 Injured by Jamus Marson and...
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$22,500 An Ounce For A Mars Rock?
This handout photo provided by Darryl Pitt of the Macovich Collection shows an external view of a Martian meteorite recovered in December 2011 near Foumzgit, Morocco following a meteorite shower believed to have occurred in July 2011. "The rarest things...
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Roy Gallant...science Writer
An anonymous reader of POSP replied to another post and mentioned Roy Gallant. I am not that familiar with him but I think he deserves mention as a prolific [nearly 100 books] writer of science...one of those individuals that attempts to bridge the gap...
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Canadian November 20th Meteorite
University of Calgary graduate student Ellen Milley poses with a fragment of a meteorite in a small pond near Lloydminster, Sask., Canada Friday, Nov. 28, 2008. Scientists said Friday they had found remains of a meteor that illuminated the sky before...
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Meteorites--losing Their Value?
The upper air burst into life! And a hundred fire-flags sheen, To and fro they were hurried about! And to and fro, and in and out, The wan stars danced between And the coming wind did roar more loud, And the sails did sigh like sedge; And the rain poured...
Philosophy