Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Meteorite Crashes Through New Zealand Roof

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the wear-a-hat dept.

freitasm writes "The New Zealand Herald and Stuff are reporting on a 1.3kg, four billion-year-old rock that fell through the roof of a house in suburban Auckland, New Zealand. Their insurance company will pay for the hole in the roof and couch and two holes in the ceiling. The meteorite itself, a chunk of an asteroid, could have been basketball-sized when it impacted Earth's atmosphere at 15km a second. By the time it hit the house, its velocity had probably slowed to 100-200m a second."

4 of 345 comments (clear)

  1. Insurance? by meringuoid · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Their insurance company will pay for the hole in the roof and couch and two holes in the ceiling.

    What insurance policy covers meteor impacts? If there's anything in the world that might happen that could be called an Act of God, surely 'smiting with flaming rocks from the heavens' qualifies?

    --
    Real Daleks don't climb stairs - they level the building.
    1. Re:Insurance? by (H)elix1 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      What insurance policy covers meteor impacts? If there's anything in the world that might happen that could be called an Act of God, surely 'smiting with flaming rocks from the heavens' qualifies?

      I'm sure the insurance company could have... but that would have created some very bad publicity. Can you imagine the homeowners saying - we have been paying them premiums for the last ten years and the rats claimed it was an "act of god". With no fatalities, light damage, and global coverage paying was the correct corporate maneuver. That kind of favorable branding is hard to get.

      --
      +++ UGUCAUCGUAUUUCU
  2. I disagree. by duffel · · Score: 5, Insightful
    MOD PARENT DOWN, repost information
    The parent is a known troll saving up karma for posting gnaa shit in some story to come.
    Actually, kunundo (parent), I'm quite offended by your remark.

    First off, you attack the person rather than their statement. This is called an Argumentum ad hominum. It's a logical fallacy and carries no weight. Personally, I think James (parent's parent) raises quite a good point. The loss in energy is quite impressive.

    *scribbles on back of envelope*
    The heat it deposited in the atmosphere is enough to vaporize more than 200 liters of water previously at room temperature. (In a really really rough calculation). For what's essentially a piece of rock, I thought that's quite cool.

    So, to me, the comment was interesting. So, whatever the motives, the comment is a good one and should be rewarded as such

    Also, moderators have mod points for a reason: They're good active members of the slashdot community. Don't tell them what to do, let them make up their own mind. That's what they're there for.
  3. Re:ObNitPick by blue+trane · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Well to me, a house is on the earth's surface. Its roof is an insignificant elevation above the surface, when compared with the height of the earth's atmosphere. So a meteor that hits a house's roof is a meteorite, in my usage.