Stunning footage captures METEORITE slamming into Georgia home
The meteorite punched a hole in a homeowner's roof on June 26 as it hurtled toward the ground faster than the speed of sound, with newly released video showing the rock blazing through the atmosphere.
Scientists found that the rock had been burning through space for eons and was older than the Earth itself, dating back 4.56 billion years ago. That is roughly 20 million years older than the Earth.
University of Georgia planetary geologist Scott Harris said that he examined 23 grams of meteorite fragments recovered from a piece the size of a cherry tomato that struck a man's roof like a bullet and left a dent in the floor of the home in McDonough, outside Atlanta.
'It belongs to a group of asteroids in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter that we now think we can tie to a breakup of a much larger asteroid about 470 million years ago,' Harris said.
'A lot of people saw the fireball,' he said. 'The homeowner didn't know that they actually had a clean hole through the roof, through an air duct,' he explained.
'They knew about the hole in the roof, but they didn't know it went through the air duct, through one side of the air duct, out the other side of air duct through a couple of feet of insulation, then through the ceiling, then they had about a 10-foot-high ceiling, kind of a slanted frame ceiling, and then it went the distance from there to the floor and left about a centimeter-and-a-half little crater in the floor.
'And so this hit hard enough that part of it just absolutely was pulverized like somebody hitting it with a sledgehammer,' he explained to Fox News.
'These are objects that go back to the original material formed 4.56 billion years ago,' Harris said.
'So, in the days slightly before the formation of the planets themselves, and at least the rocky interior planets.
'And, you know, those are the basic building blocks then of our rocky planets and, so that's one of the reasons that scientists are interested in studying them is it shows us about some of the processes that were active during the early days of the solar system.'
Harris said University of Georgia scientists and colleagues at Arizona State University plan to submit their findings with Nomenclature Committee of the Meteoritical Society.
They propose naming the space rock the McDonough Meteorite, reflected the name of the Georgia city where it plunged to Earth.
'No one's got to do anything about a small object like this coming through the atmosphere, but understanding where these materials come from in the solar system and understanding that even the dynamics of the small pieces are important for ultimately understanding where the bigger ones are and what the risks are for us in the future,' Harris said.
On the day the meteorite fell to Earth it sparked alarm.
Police scanner audio in Spartanburg, South Carolina captured a call from a woman who reported a 'giant ball of fire' falling from the sky.
'I'm not crazy! I just saw a huge ball of fire fall from the sky in East Tennessee around the Cherokee National Forest!' a firefighter wrote on X.
'Anyone else see it? Right around 12:20pm ET. Very cool but a little unnerving given the current times!'
While some speculated it could have been a falling aircraft, the firefighter described it as 'like a mini sun falling with a tail of fire.'
In Georgia, one resident said they not only saw the object, but heard it pass overhead and felt the ground shake when it hit.
They propose naming the space rock the McDonough Meteorite, reflected the name of the Georgia city where it plunged to Earth.
'No one's got to do anything about a small object like this coming through the atmosphere, but understanding where these materials come from in the solar system and understanding that even the dynamics of the small pieces are important for ultimately understanding where the bigger ones are and what the risks are for us in the future,' Harris said.
Hundreds of reports of a possible fireball were submitted to the American Meteor Society website from Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee.
'This was the middle of the day, and it just came out of nowhere,' according to one fireball report on the American Meteor Society from Perry, Georgia.
He added that he saw a 'smoke trail that quickly fell apart.'
Marc Tozer of Georgia shared on Facebook: 'Stone mountain here and it made a booming sound, house shook with a long rumble. Dogs went crazy.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
43 minutes ago
- The Independent
Why Niger is investigating the $5 million sale of the largest Mars rock found on Earth
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice It's the largest piece of Mars ever found on Earth — a 54-pound (25-kilogram) meteorite that fetched more than $5 million at a New York auction last month, setting a world record. But in the West African nation of Niger, where the rusty-red rock was unearthed in the Sahara Desert, officials have launched an investigation into what they call possible 'illicit international trafficking,' claiming it may have been smuggled out of the country. Here's what to know about the meteorite and the legal dispute: How it was found Sotheby's said the rock, named NWA 16788, was blown off the surface of Mars by a massive asteroid strike and traveled 140 million miles (225 million kilometers) to Earth. It was discovered in the Sahara in northwestern Niger by a meteorite hunter in November 2023, according to the auction house. His identity was not disclosed. Nor was the identity of the buyer last month. Meteorite hunting is growing in arid Saharan countries like Niger. Though meteorites can fall anywhere on Earth, the Sahara has become a prime spot for their discovery in part due to the favorable climate for their preservation. Hunters often search for space rocks that can be sold to collectors or scientists. The rarest and most precious are from Mars and the moon. According to the Heritage academic journal, the rock was sold to an international dealer before it ended up in a private galley in Italy. A team of scientists from the University of Florence examined the rock last year to learn more about its structure and where it came from before falling to Earth, the publication said. The meteorite was also briefly on display in Rome before it was next seen in public in New York last month during the auction. Why Niger is investigating Following the sale, Niger raised questions about how the meteorite came to be sold at auction. Niger's government announced an investigation last month to determine the circumstances of the meteorite's discovery and sale, saying in a statement it was 'akin to illicit international trafficking.' Last week, President Abdourahamane Tiani suspended the export of 'precious stones, semi-precious stones and meteorites nationwide' in an effort to ensure their traceability. Sotheby's said in a statement sent to The Associated Press the meteorite was exported from Niger and transported in line with all relevant international procedures. 'As with everything we sell, all necessary documentation was in order at each stage of its journey, in accordance with best practice and the requirements of the countries involved." the statement read. Authorities in Niger did not respond to AP questions. What international law says While global agreements are in place to regulate the trade of cultural artifacts, there is ambiguity about whether meteorites are covered. Patty Gerstenblith, a cultural heritage lawyer and expert on illicit trade, said that under the UNESCO convention on cultural property — which Niger and the U.S. have ratified — meteorites can qualify as cultural property. However, Gerstenblith said Niger needs to prove it owned the meteorite and that it was stolen, as illegal export from the country does not make the meteorite illegal in the U.S. 'If the meteorite was not stolen and if it was properly declared upon import into the U.S., then it would not seem that Niger can recover the meteorite,' she told the AP. Some countries, like Morocco, one of the leading sources of meteorites on the international market, require restitution if the objects are discovered on their territory. But enforcement has been challenging due to the vast desert areas and informal trading networks.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Stunning discovery after 'extraterrestrial visitor' smashes through Georgia home
A meteorite that tore through a Georgia home has revealed a stunning secret: it is older than the Earth itself. The space rock blazed across the sky in broad daylight on June 26, sparking hundreds of reports from witnesses across Georgia and South Carolina. The meteorite, now known as the 'McDonough Meteorite,' exploded with a loud boom, shaking the ground and capturing the attention of residents. Researchers at the University of Georgia examined 23 grams of a meteorite fragment that smashed through a Georgia man's home. It went through the roof, HAVC duct, and left a hole in the floor the size of a cherry tomato. Planetary geologist Scott Harris concluded the space rock formed 4.56 billion years ago, roughly 20 million years before Earth. 'It belongs to a group of asteroids in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter that we now think we can tie to a breakup of a much larger asteroid about 470 million years ago,' Harris said. The homeowner said he continues to find specks of space dust scattered around his living room from the impact. The meteorite shot through a man's home in Georgia. He gave the fragments to scientists who revealed their findings this week The 23 gram fragment showed the meteorite is about 20 million years older than Earth 'A mysterious extraterrestrial visitor now has a permanent home and identity, thanks to University of Georgia (UGA) researchers,' the team shared in a press release. 'Multiple fragments, which tore through a residential roof in Henry County, were turned over to a UGA planetary geologist and impact expert to determine.' Before breaking into fragments small enough to analyze, the meteor, known as a bolide, was recorded entering Earth's atmosphere at an incredible cosmic velocity. This massive space rock hurtled toward McDonough at speeds exceeding the speed of sound. 'When they encounter Earth, our atmosphere is very good at slowing them down,' Harris said. 'But you're talking about something that is double the size of a 50-caliber shell, going at least 2,236 miles per second. That's like running 10 football fields in one second.' Using optical and electron microscopy to examine the fragments, Harris identified the meteorite as a Low Metal (L) ordinary Chondrite. This classification indicates the meteorite likely formed 4.56 billion years ago in an oxygen-rich environment. The meteorite still had enough impact to go through a man's roof and his HVAC duct, leave a solid dent in his floor and make a sound and vibration equivalent to a close-range gunshot The tiny space rock was traveling at amazing speeds, enough to smash through a roof, HVAC duct and ceiling This is the 27th meteorite recovered in Georgia in history, and the sixth witnessed fall. Harris said the fragment broke the sound barrier when it entered the Earth's atmosphere. 'This is something that used to be expected once every few decades and not multiple times within 20 years,' Harris said. 'Modern technology, in addition to an attentive public, is going to help us recover more and more meteorites.' Harris explained that although a fragment this small posed no danger, scientists study meteorite impacts to better understand their dynamics. The ultimate goal is to assess the risks and prepare for potential threats that could cause catastrophic damage,' he added. Panic broke out across parts of the US when the fireball was spotted falling from the sky. Police scanner audio in Spartanburg, South Carolina captured a call from a woman who reported a 'giant ball of fire' falling from the sky, a sight echoed by witnesses from Tennessee to Georgia. Several metro Atlanta city and county officials relayed reports of a 'fireball' sighting from the sky on June 26 'I'm not crazy! I just saw a huge ball of fire fall from the sky in East Tennessee around the Cherokee National Forest!' a firefighter wrote on X. 'Anyone else see it? Right around 12:20pm ET. Very cool but a little unnerving given the current times!' While some speculated it could have been a falling aircraft, the firefighter described it as 'like a mini sun falling with a tail of fire.' In Georgia, one resident said they not only saw the object, but heard it pass overhead and felt the ground shake when it hit. The National Weather Service confirmed the many reports across the Southeast US saying: 'It is not certain, but the satellite-based lightning detection shows a streak within cloud-free sky over the NC/VA border, over Gasbury, VA. 'This streak was detected between 12:51 to 12:56 pm.' Hundreds of reports of a possible fireball were submitted to the American Meteor Society website from Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee, which are still pending. A flaming object was seen streaking across the skies of several southern states, sparking panic and confusion, as no explosion or fire were reported on the ground 'This was the middle of the day, and it just came out of nowhere,' according to one fireball report on the American Meteor Society from Perry, Georgia. A report submitted by Ashley R from Suwanee, Georgia read: 'I thought it was a missile.' Brian S from Alpharetta, Georgia said: 'It was full daylight, no clouds, and still it was very bright. I heard a muffled and slight boom sound, maybe 30 seconds later, but that could be unrelated.' He added that he saw a 'smoke trail that quickly fell apart.' Marc Tozer of Georgia shared on Facebook: 'Stone mountain here and it made a booming sound, house shook with a long rumble. Dogs went crazy.' Another Georgia local posted: 'House totally rumbled, sounded like a log rolling off the roof, thought nukes were coming...' WRDW, an Atlanta news source, reported that black smoke was seen south of I-20, although it may be from a controlled burn, first responders said.
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Weight loss jabs like Mounjaro and Wegovy could make you go BLIND, experts warn
Two of the world's most popular slimming injections may raise the risk of a sight-threatening eye disease in people with type 2 diabetes, researchers have warned. A team from Massachusetts analysed health records from more than 185,000 patients prescribed GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs—a class that includes semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy, and tirzepatide, found in Mounjaro. These medications suppress appetite and are increasingly used by people with diabetes and obesity to shed pounds and control blood sugar levels. But the study found they were linked to a 'modestly increased risk' of diabetic retinopathy—a condition caused by damage to blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye. Left untreated, it can lead to permanent sight loss. Even so, the researchers noted that fewer people in the study developed the most severe complications of diabetic retinopathy, such as blindness, even among those who already had the condition before starting the drugs. The analysis also found no statistically significant difference in the risk of NAION—non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy—a rare disorder that causes sudden vision loss in one eye when blood flow to the optic nerve is cut off. Based on their findings, the authors said people with type 2 diabetes taking the drugs should have regular eye checks to catch any problems early. The researchers behind the Massachusetts study disclosed conflicts of interest with companies that manufacture the drugs, including Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. Separately, another US research team—whose findings were also published today—analysed data from 159,398 people and did find an increased risk of sudden sight loss linked to the injections. They looked specifically at patients with type 2 diabetes and no history of eye problems, comparing those prescribed semaglutide or tirzepatide with a matched control group. Their results showed an increased risk of NAION—non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy—and other optic nerve disorders in the medicated group, although they stressed the 'overall risk was low.' After two years of follow-up, 35 patients (0.04 per cent) in the semaglutide or tirzepatide group had developed NAION, compared to 19 patients (0.02 per cent) in the control group. In addition, 93 patients (0.12 per cent) in the medicated group developed other optic nerve disorders, versus 54 patients (0.07 per cent) in the control group. The researchers added: 'No association was found with other disorders of the optic nerve or visual pathways.' In this second study, the researchers didn't disclose any conflicts of interests with weight loss jab manufacturers. The weight-loss jabs have been found to help people lose up to 20 per cent of their body weight in just a few months. However, there have been numerous reports of side effects after getting the jabs from hair loss and constipation to extreme cases of bloating. Recently, US experts found that semaglutide—may 'waste away muscles', making it harder to lose weight. And earlier this summer, in June, slimming jabs like Mounjaro and Wegovy were linked to more than 100 deaths in Britain. A total of 111 deaths were logged with the regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), up to and including May 29. But none of the fatalities, which have all been reported since the jabs were licensed for use in the UK, were proven to be caused directly by the drugs. However, the UK medicines regulator launched a probe into the safety of fat jabs after hundreds of Britons developed pancreatitis, specifically, leaving ten dead. Nevertheless, the weight loss jabs have remained popular, with pharmacists warning just last month that booming demand may become 'unsustainable'. The warning was issued by The National Pharmacy Association (NPA)—which represents over 6,000 community pharmacies. It came after their recent poll of over 2,000 people showed an increasing demand for private and NHS-backed weight loss services. The NDA poll revealed a fifth of participants had attempted to access weight loss treatments in the last year.
