Sky continues to fall in
On October 15, 1972, a farmer in Trujillo, Venezuela, heard a sonic boom in the sky. The next day he discovered a cow lying dead in the field, its neck and shoulder pulverised. The bemused farmer found a boulder lying nearby, which he took away to use as a doorstep.
It says further that this unlucky cow in Venezuela was “the only living thing that has been documented to have been killed by a meteorite.”
Well, I’ve noted before on this blog that in the 18th Century two sailors were reportedly killed when a meteorite struck a ship in the Java Sea.
Poor cow — not only dead, but a runner-up in the documented-to-have-been-killed-by-meteorite stakes.
posted by Jacob A. Stam at 10/27/2007 02:40:00 PM
8 Comments:
Meteorite Monday?
Intriguing idea...!
Where the article says the only living thing that has been documented to have been killed by a meteorite... I guess it must follow that plenty of non-living things have been killed by meteorites.
Then again, what about all the microbes and other little beasties that have been killed by meteorites?
Oh, it's all to much to think about, really.
Sure, but how many cows can make that claim, hey?
One!
Just the one!
A class of his own.
I suppose this means that my phobia of being hit by a meteorite is unfounded?
Unless I'm an unsuspecting cow.
You don't strike me as an "old cow" - suspecting, unsuspecting or otherwise.
The meteorite was overcome with worry about global warming and decided to take out a methane producer.
It was a green meteor.
I was just thinking the other day that being hit by a meteorite could so easily happen.
Sure, statistically it's a long shot, but then there's Murphy's Law: If anything can happen, it will.
On that basis I wouldn't get out of bed in the morning, but if I didn't, a meteorite would be certain to hit my bed with me in it.
Best keep moving and try to lengthen the odds in that fashion.
Ah, so it was inevitable that a cow would be hit: they stand about, not moving, except for the odd swish of the tail, and regular blinking.
Yes, best to keep moving.
That, and hope the meteorites are on the smallish side. (Hey, I can only move so fast y'all.)
Have to go, mustn't dilly dally at the keyboard.
We really should be quite surprised that living things aren't documented as being killed by meteorites every day.
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