Meteorites are rocks that have fallen to Earth from outer space. They originate from other planetary bodies, mostly from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. An asteroid is a rocky body in space which, when it impacts on Earth, is called a meteorite. The size of meteorites varies greatly – from a pinhead to huge blocks weighing several tonnes, with the largest meteorite currently known on Earth being Hoba at Grootfontein, Namibia (about 60 000 kg). The speed of incoming meteorites can reach 70 km/s.
The Earth has always been, and will always be, showered by meteorites. Fortunately, most meteorites are harmless, as they are burnt up before impact, by the Earth’s natural defence mechanism, our atmosphere. However, large meteorites could cause significant damage, creating large meteorite-impact craters, such…
