What would the odds of being struck by a small meteorite like the
one in the news recently? Ever since that came up, I've found myself thinking about someone I know getting struck and (possibely) being killed by it.
2007-04-21 15:57:39 · 7 answers · asked by knightsofthethunder 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Incredibly small. There are several types of meteroites, rocky, carbonaceus and metallic. The metalllic meteorites are the most rare of them all. Or I should say the are the rarest of the asteroids. But since they have better odds of surviving the trip through the atmosphere as meteorites they are more common. But still the odds are so small it´s hardly anything to loose any sleep over. The meteor shower the Lyrids are peaking right now and hitting earths atmosphere with dozens of mainly rocky meteros every hour. Yet none of them are likely to hit you.
2007-04-21 16:12:19 · answer #1 · answered by DrAnders_pHd 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In recorded history there's only been one reliably witnessed meteorite fatality; a dog in Cairo a few years back. No human deaths, but if the Tunguska meteorite in 1908 had arrived 4 hours later, it would have landed in the middle of St. Petersburg.
2007-04-21 23:20:34 · answer #2 · answered by zee_prime 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Somewhat smaller than the odds of being run over by a stray yak in downtown Manhattan.
2007-04-21 23:01:53 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
1:2.3 mil, one in 2.3 mil. yes you have better odds in being hit bye a meteor then lighting or winning the lotto
2007-04-25 12:26:53 · answer #4 · answered by the man 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The odds are astronomical.
2007-04-21 23:04:40 · answer #5 · answered by producer_vortex 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
1000000000000000000000000000000000 to 1
2007-04-21 23:40:16 · answer #6 · answered by nic 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
About the same as getting Al ('I invented the internet') Gore to quit blathering on about 'Global Warming'.
Doug
2007-04-21 23:05:17 · answer #7 · answered by doug_donaghue 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋