On a clear night, when we look up at the stars, we can see stars within a range of nearly 2,000 light-years. Although most of them do not exceed the scope of the Milky Way, there are 6,000 stars visible to the naked eye. The vast universe, the small stars, and the constant twinkling in the sky tell us that the universe is not empty, and the earth may not be as safe as we think.
Recently, a dazzling flash dragged a long tail across the night sky of Tomsk Oblast, Russia. A huge explosion was heard and accompanied by bursts of echoes. The echo and shock wave lasted for several seconds before finally calming down. At the moment when the Russian-Ukrainian conflict was like a cloud of fog, this sudden explosion made people a little terrified. Everyone didn't know what happened. This dazzling light was also truthfully recorded by many monitors.
The fast-moving fireball seemed to have the power to destroy the sky and destroy the earth, and it hit the ground fiercely. The dazzling light from the explosion instantly lit up the night sky, and the afterglow of the explosion could be seen more than 200 kilometers away. If it was regarded as a military operation, the Ukrainian government kept silent on the incident.
The explosion alerted the Russian government, and multiple departments launched a joint investigation into the explosion. The conclusion of the investigation surprised everyone. Vic, a professor at the Ural Federal University, believes that the light and explosion are likely caused by the fall of meteorites. Meteorite impacts are not uncommon on Earth, and similar reports can be found in the relevant records of countries around the world almost every year.
Fortunately, it is speculated that the diameter of the meteorite that hit the earth this time will not exceed one meter. Although the momentum is amazing, it will not cause damage to the main structure of the earth. If you are lucky enough to pick up fragments of meteorites, you will be the lucky one this year. This is the good luck that makes meteorite hunters all over the world envy. Meteorite particles often contain extremely precious metal substances, which are rare and precious. Many collectors have a high interest in meteorite fragments.
Even if it is not sold for money, meteorite fragments have extremely high scientific value for our study of extraterrestrial bodies. Although meteorites can become rare objects that people chase after falling, if a large meteorite hits the earth, it is not just talk. Anyone with some common sense will know that it was the asteroid that hit the earth 65 million years ago that led to the destruction of the dinosaur family that dominated the earth for hundreds of millions of years. According to scientists, the culprit of the catastrophe was less than 10 kilometers in diameter. The smoke and dust caused by the impact obscured the sky, the plants withered, the air was turbid, and the vibrant earth seemed to have become a purgatory on earth.
Some scientists have evaluated the ability of human beings to resist risks. With the current level of human technology, if an asteroid with a diameter of more than 500 meters hits the earth, all human beings will be devastated and destroyed. Maybe the earth has been safe until now, and there is really an invisible hand behind everything, silently ensuring that human civilization can continue in a safe environment. If you have any illusions about asteroids, then look at the densely packed craters on the far side of the moon, and you can imagine how many bullets our satellites have carried for us.
It is not uncommon for meteorites to visit the earth. In April this year, a flaming fireball also appeared over Arkansas, USA. Unlike previous meteorite impact events, this fireball flew across the skies of several states in the United States. Tens of millions of Americans saw this peculiar sight. The fireball dragged its long tail with a rumbling sound and crossed the sky. It was enough to light up the entire sky. Witnesses said that when the fireball flew by, it was as bright as daylight. According to the statistics of scientists, the speed of meteorites crossing the skies over the United States can reach 25 kilometers per second. It is conceivable that meteorites under this terrifying speed will bring terrible disasters to human beings if they hit the earth. Fortunately, most of the meteorites did not hit the ground, but exploded and disintegrated in the air during high-speed flight. Only some smaller fragments hit the ground. Although it caused great losses to local residents, luckily, the earth still exists, and we are still alive!
If you expand the perspective to the entire universe, you will find that the history of human development has been accompanied by all kinds of disasters. Earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, meteorite impacts, to name a few, although human beings already have relatively powerful technological power, they are still so small in the face of the devastating nature. If a large-diameter meteorite does hit the earth, it is frustrating that there is not much that humans can do. Of course, compared with the extinct dinosaurs hundreds of millions of years ago, wisdom will be our greatest advantage. First of all, satellites in Earth orbit and various space probes can allow us to discover the danger of meteorite impact at the earliest time. In the face of natural disasters, even a minute of preparation may be able to reverse the overall situation. Human nuclear weapons will finally achieve the effect of protecting all mankind in non-battlefield fields. If a nuclear weapon is detonated on an asteroid, it is very likely to shatter it. Although some of the damaged planetary fragments will still hit the earth, the damage caused will also be greatly reduced.
In October this year, NASA completed the first human experiment to change the orbit of an asteroid through impact in space far away from Earth, and achieved success. The spacecraft performing the mission (DART) successfully changed its orbit after colliding with the asteroid Dimovus. It can be regarded as the first collision in human history, and this collision may save the fate of all mankind at some point in the future.
In the vast universe, there are hundreds of millions of small stars. In the Oort Nebula, which is tightly wrapped in the solar system, there are about 30,000 asteroids. It can be said that the earth is always in danger of planetary impact. But there is no need to worry too much, although the consequences of celestial impact are serious, and even lead to mass extinction of species, it should be viewed with caution. But in most cases, smaller meteorites will burn to ashes directly in the friction with the atmosphere, and the debris that falls on the ground will not cause much damage. Moreover, with the further development of technology, we will eventually find a way to ensure that the earth is safe and sound. I believe that the fate of human beings will never stop here. There are still countless mysteries waiting for human beings in the deep space.
NASA will launch a more in-depth study of UFOs, and the research report may be released next year