Chap found chunks of an asteroid older than Earth in his suburban living room In late June media speculated that a meteor entering Earth’s atmosphere caused widespread sightings of a celestial fireball during daylight hours across the southeast USA. Scientists have now confirmed space rocks caused the phenomenon, citing as evidence a meteorite they found in a resident’s living room. As explained by …
The photograph shows the meteorite held between finger and thumb. When a meteorite landed in the UK, we were all advised not to touch it but pick it up using kitchen (aluminium) foil, to reduce contamination as much as possible.
After seeing the dent it put in the floor after piercing the roof, I guess they are pretty relieved it did not hit anyone and that it was not as bit as NWA 16788.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly3q635n4no
Yeah, and I also guess they were pretty relieved it wasn't New Sherwood Forest Asteroid that Isaac Netwoned itself through their roof!
I think it was an attempt to emphasise that the impact literally created dust as 'blown to dust' etc is often used as hyperbole.
In British english, in common use, we could say ...
"There was enough energy when it hit the floor that it pulverized part of the material down to dust fragments, literally."
Known as an 'intensifier' and subject to some 'fuss' as it is often misused/abused in common language !!!
Wikipedia gives some hint of the 'fuss' but I am not in a mood to be pedantic about its use today and would let the use as originally quoted slide.
:)
Looks like the space aliens are using 19th century muzzle loaders to terrorise we Terrans.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-03/mystery-gympie-object-through-roof-identified-as-bullet/101123628
A rough calculation would make the terminal velocity of the 27g lead ball around 20m/s (70 km/h, 45mph) which doesn't seem to account for the damage.
From the incontestable source of truth, the interwebs, a muzzle loader of this calibre could have a muzzle velocity of 300m/s, so I imagine an itinerant Martian loitering over the house might discharge his treasured Brown Bess into this couple's roof. Incredulous? Clearly you haven't been to Gympie.†
† those that have might actually be happy to supply the belligerent ET with black powder.
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