Meteorite Explodes Over Russia Injures Hundreds

[Xerxes]

How to disguise cometary impacts on the US ?

http://www.sott.net/article/259330-Furious-over-sanctions-North-Korea-vows-to-nuke-US

Without the presence of radiation fallout wouldn't a comet explosion be easily identifiable compared to a nuclear explosion?

 

[weasel3d]

_http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/20/asteroid-hearing-congress-impact-nasa_n_2908817.html

Not that they're going to actually tell anyone what's really going on, anyway.

Indeed. And there's this ridiculous statement from NASA: http://www.sott.net/article/259987-Large-asteroid-heading-to-Earth-Pray-says-NASA

Yeah, I found it interesting that they say they know the whereabouts of 10% of an estimated 10,000 objects that are less than appox .5 of a mile in size. If they're only aware of 1000 objects in that class, how the hell can they project how many more are out there. It seems to me that they're just making up happy numbers. Am I wrong? Or, are they able to calculate via methods other than actual sightings?

 

[Nook]

_http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/20/asteroid-hearing-congress-impact-nasa_n_2908817.html

Not that they're going to actually tell anyone what's really going on, anyway.

Indeed. And there's this ridiculous statement from NASA: http://www.sott.net/article/259987-Large-asteroid-heading-to-Earth-Pray-says-NASA

Yeah, I found it interesting that they say they know the whereabouts of 10% of an estimated 10,000 objects that are less than appox .5 of a mile in size. If they're only aware of 1000 objects in that class, how the hell can they project how many more are out there. It seems to me that they're just making up happy numbers. Am I wrong? Or, are they able to calculate via methods other than actual sightings?

I'm not a math or physics expert but I think it could be via probability calculations.
Further simplifying, if they can monitor 10% or so of the activity in the galaxy, they could just project that number of 10, 000 by looking at the potential 100%.
Based on that there is a way to estimate the real number but making stuff up is part of their business.
My 2 cents.

 

[Niall]

It seems to me that they're just making up happy numbers. Am I wrong?

You are probably right. Remember, these are people who believe comets are dirty snowballs and who claimed that they didn't see the Russian asteroid/comet fragment coming because it "came from the direction of the sun."

That's today's sorry state of Science for you.

 

[weasel3d]

You are probably right. Remember, these are people who believe comets are dirty snowballs and who claimed that they didn't see the Russian asteroid/comet fragment coming because it "came from the direction of the sun."

That's today's sorry state of Science for you.

Exactly. If they didn't see it coming, they have no idea what percent they have tracked. It's x% of (gee we don't know).

 

[Kenny McCormick]

You are probably right. Remember, these are people who believe comets are dirty snowballs and who claimed that they didn't see the Russian asteroid/comet fragment coming because it "came from the direction of the sun."

That's today's sorry state of Science for you.

Exactly. If they didn't see it coming, they have no idea what percent they have tracked. It's x% of (gee we don't know).

Yes, base mistake is implying the density of comets in universe is constant.
It's like counting probability of snowfall on basis of experiences during long journey through Africa.

 

[Mal7]

Yeah, I found it interesting that they say they know the whereabouts of 10% of an estimated 10,000 objects that are less than appox .5 of a mile in size. If they're only aware of 1000 objects in that class, how the hell can they project how many more are out there.

But only about 10 percent of an estimated 10,000 potential "city-killer" asteroids, those with a diameter of about 165 feet have been found, Holdren added.

- from the linked article "Large Asteroid Heading to Earth? Pray, Says NASA!"

I think this might have been calculated by scanning a certain proportion of the sky very thoroughly with telescopes, and extrapolating from that.

c.f. Clube and Napier, The Cosmic Serpent, page 73:

Obviously the discovery of these objects is strikingly incomplete. For example Hephaistos, the largest known asteroid of the group with a diameter of 10km, was discovered only in 1978. However calculations of true abundance can be made by estimating the completeness of telescopic search.

 

[weasel3d]

Yeah, I found it interesting that they say they know the whereabouts of 10% of an estimated 10,000 objects that are less than appox .5 of a mile in size. If they're only aware of 1000 objects in that class, how the hell can they project how many more are out there.

But only about 10 percent of an estimated 10,000 potential "city-killer" asteroids, those with a diameter of about 165 feet have been found, Holdren added.

- from the linked article "Large Asteroid Heading to Earth? Pray, Says NASA!"

I think this might have been calculated by scanning a certain proportion of the sky very thoroughly with telescopes, and extrapolating from that.

c.f. Clube and Napier, The Cosmic Serpent, page 73:

Obviously the discovery of these objects is strikingly incomplete. For example Hephaistos, the largest known asteroid of the group with a diameter of 10km, was discovered only in 1978. However calculations of true abundance can be made by estimating the completeness of telescopic search.

Thanks Mal7. That Clube and Napier book is on my reading list from reading HOM.

 

[williamsj]

Well here is a simple case of: We can spend billions of (USD, GBP, EUR etc) on defence budgets for ships, planes and missiles; but why should we spend money to protect the whole planet.

Every country in the world has a vested interest in this phenomenon, if a 1Km asteroid/comet/piece of crap hits earth, we will all suffer, much bigger and we will all be history. This is a fact, not a speculative deal or a risk assessment.

Yet still the main space powers continue to put up spy satellites to monitor those they do not trust on earth, but do nothing to protect their, and our home, the Earth itself.

pretty sick when you think of it!

 

[Laura]

Well here is a simple case of: We can spend billions of (USD, GBP, EUR etc) on defence budgets for ships, planes and missiles; but why should we spend money to protect the whole planet.

Every country in the world has a vested interest in this phenomenon, if a 1Km asteroid/comet/piece of crap hits earth, we will all suffer, much bigger and we will all be history. This is a fact, not a speculative deal or a risk assessment.

Yet still the main space powers continue to put up spy satellites to monitor those they do not trust on earth, but do nothing to protect their, and our home, the Earth itself.

pretty sick when you think of it!

Agreed. Not only that, they continue in their campaigns of hate and war and driving inequality, all of which things might very well be "attractors" for destruction.

 

[Niall]

Does anyone recall reports of unusual sensory or psychological effects on people in or near Chelyabinsk following this event? I don't mean consequences of the flash and shockwaves, like temporary blindness and trauma.

I'm sure I saw a report at the time about strange effects on people. I can't remember exactly what it was, maybe something to do with people 'feeling as if they were in a different state of mind', possibly related to changes in their balance and hearing (for the better, I think). Maybe some Russian forum members heard about such things in the days and weeks afterwards?

 

[Keit]

I'm sure I saw a report at the time about strange effects on people. I can't remember exactly what it was, maybe something to do with people 'feeling as if they were in a different state of mind', possibly related to changes in their balance and hearing (for the better, I think). Maybe some Russian forum members heard about such things in the days and weeks afterwards?

Hmm...I think I remember reading something, but not sure what. Maybe something about strange animal behavior prior and after the meteorite fall? There is an article about it in Russian here. Tried to look for any other reports, so far nothing. But will keep looking. Found a thread on Chelyabinsk forum for young moms, where they shared how they felt after the fall and how they measures levels of radioactivity, but also nothing strange.

The only strange thing so far was this page with three videos, that talks about a more than an hour long "show of strange lights". They also said that the sky had a strange orange color, and that animals like dogs and cats were nervous and exhibited unusual behavior. And that car alarms went off. But a news report the day after said, that those were just circus lights. Another article talked about the meteorite maybe carrying viruses. Apparently locals were also afraid of "alien microbes" or other "supernatural stuff".

There is also another article about a cult that was created after the meteorite fall. Apparently it gave its leader ability to "communicate with superior beings". And there is a video about a boy with an ability to predict dates of various catastrophes. According to the description, he predicted the fall of the Chelyabinsk meteorite. There was even an article that talked about meteorite influencing politicians! :/

 

[Altair]

I'm sure I saw a report at the time about strange effects on people. I can't remember exactly what it was, maybe something to do with people 'feeling as if they were in a different state of mind', possibly related to changes in their balance and hearing (for the better, I think). Maybe some Russian forum members heard about such things in the days and weeks afterwards?

Hmm...I think I remember reading something, but not sure what. Maybe something about strange animal behavior prior and after the meteorite fall? There is an article about it in Russian here. Tried to look for any other reports, so far nothing. But will keep looking. Found a thread on Chelyabinsk forum for young moms, where they shared how they felt after the fall and how they measures levels of radioactivity, but also nothing strange.

The only strange thing so far was this page with three videos, that talks about a more than an hour long "show of strange lights". They also said that the sky had a strange orange color, and that animals like dogs and cats were nervous and exhibited unusual behavior. And that car alarms went off. But a news report the day after said, that those were just circus lights. Another article talked about the meteorite maybe carrying viruses. Apparently locals were also afraid of "alien microbes" or other "supernatural stuff".

There is also another article about a cult that was created after the meteorite fall. Apparently it gave its leader ability to "communicate with superior beings". And there is a video about a boy with an ability to predict dates of various catastrophes. According to the description, he predicted the fall of the Chelyabinsk meteorite. There was even an article that talked about meteorite influencing politicians! :/

I couldn't find anything paranormal on the Russian Internet either. Many people were shocked, some in panic. Here are some interesting facts:
- there was neither mobile connection nor Internet for 3 hours after the explosion (probably due to stark electromagnetic impulse)
- many people were experiencing a very stark heat that seemed to come directly through clothes shortly before the explosion
- 1833 people needed psychological help (_http://www.regnum.ru/news/1626509.html)
- there were more car accidents as usually at that day

 

[Siberia]

I also can't find anything exact yet. There is this article from Astronews where a scientist describes the effect of Chelyabinsk meteorite on the planet's ionosphere: he says that it produced a large number of ionospheric, atmospheric and seismological effects. According to the Irkutsk Solar and Earth Physics Institute (Siberia) which he represents, the effects started 80 minutes before the meteorite fell and finished 40 minutes after. He says the effects were registered by the radars network as far as up to 1,200 km away from Chelyabinsk.

Other media say that after the event, the Chebarkul Lake became attractive for the white swans for some reasons: before the meteorite, there were only some 2 or 3 couples of them, while now it's about 60 birds there. fwiw

 

[Voyageur]

Looked around with nothing to further add other than a reference to "Infrasound" waves. According to the wiki page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infrasound

The loudest infrasound recorded to date by the monitoring system was generated by the 2013 Chelyabinsk meteor.

Under the heading Human Reactions it states:

One study has suggested that infrasound may cause feelings of awe or fear in humans. It also was suggested that since it is not consciously perceived, it may make people feel vaguely that odd or supernatural events are taking place.

A focus on paranormal perceptions, either during and after, would be interesting to see if there were reported increases.