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Huge Meteor Blazes Across Sky Over Russia; Hundreds Injured
New submitter dovf writes "The Bad Astronomer analyzes incoming reports about the apparent meteoric fireball over Russia: 'Apparently, at about 09:30 local time, a very big meteor burned up over Chelyabinsk, a city in Russia just east of the Ural mountains, and about 1500 kilometers east of Moscow. The fireball was incredibly bright, rivaling the Sun! There was a pretty big sonic boom from the fireball, which set off car alarms and shattered windows. I'm seeing some reports of many people injured (by shattered glass blown out by the shock wave). I'm also seeing reports that some pieces have fallen to the ground, but again as I write this those are unconfirmed." This is the best summary I've found so far, and links to lots of videos and images. He also clarifies something I've been wondering about: 'This is almost certainly unrelated to the asteroid 2012 DA14 that will pass on Friday.'"
As a boy I began to explore the possibility of a planetary asteroid defense.
What a relief.
My teenage years were marked by bouts of Acute Cold War Survival Anxiety. I was prepared to explore and debate such things as, What effect and scope of all-out nuclear exchange? What are nearest likely strategic targets? Wind and ocean factors? Social and political conditions? When fallout arrives, how can you be sure your family is getting enough? If there is somewhere left to go, where to go? What to bring? Who to eat first?
I would listen to the daily English commentaries of Radio Moscow on shortwave. Lots of gesticulation and predictable posturing. Then I would listen to President Reagan: lots of gesticulation and predictable posturing.
Minutes to midnight.
I worked survival scenarios; collected books, studied maps, stockpiled chocolate. I'd be tuned to the local radio station when they conducted the EBS test every week... as in, "This is a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. It is only a test." When it was preempted by a baseball game I was the only one who ever called to complain. Because no one else did.
Survival aside, what could one actually do to address the threat of nuclear war? Sneak around gathering warhead, missile and fission lump and muck... head for Mount Doom, toss them in and run like hell?
I tried to debate the issue with others but didn't get far. The objective, they would begin, is to prevent nuclear war. "Can be done, but not a good approach." Oh really, they'd muse, explain. "Considering the angles and who the players are... there is only one tool we know of that is capable of preventing nuclear war: nuclear war."
Smiling, I suppose you think that's funny. "No, I'm serious. It would work. For sure."
End of debate.
Or... continuing the debate later by myself, with myself... what if, instead of preparing for nuclear war... we just choose not to have one? All day. Every day. It was easy to see that this tactic might 'save the day' so to speak. But the real beauty of such a regimen is that the benefits actually accrue over time. A day? O.K. A week? Great. A whole year without nuclear war? Splendid!
As it turns out that's exactly what we did. It would be silly to claim credit for the ultimate success of this simple idea; but I did think it up first.
And I did my part... right to this day.
No matter how hectic the day or late the hour, I always set aside enough time to not start a nuclear war. As should you. I admit at times it may have been a little one -- say, a hypothetical series of tactical bursts along the border of two small imbecile countries. It never works. The dust settles and there is the border again, right where they left it. Wider, even.
On Friday I fail to start three successive wars, each one more horrifyingly pointless than the last; to clear my slate for the weekend. With nuclear survival addressed and prevention unnecessary -- had all this extra free time.
So I kissed plutonium goodbye and set my sights on iron, nickel and ice; humble ingredients to be sure but pretty effective when you stir in mass, velocity and plenty of aftermath.
If you see one mushroom cloud you've seen them all, if one could be so lucky. They only seem to come in one flavor, up up and away.
Planetary impacts though are serious fun.
Exposing the earth's mantle -- even a tiny bit -- is always a fiery crowd pleaser. Then a rain of molten pellets begins, right on schedule; everyone gets to take home a souvenir. There is angle of entry: like playing spin-the-bottle, with God. Bad news for those in the cheap seats.
I like best a night-side volley into the ocean. The shores of surrounding continents are ringside seats; you can start the show early, since most of the audience is already there. Toss a few little ones, now they're watching. Different metals make pretty colors as they tear through the atmosphere.
Clever surprises. Eyes with telescopes will see here... a Really Big One! In all the humanitie
<blink>down the rabbit hole</blink>
There were loudmouths pissed off about a boat breaking down.
At least that was why CNN's coverage was lousy.