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Meteorite Strikes On Cars Are Rare, But It Has Happened At Least Thrice
Jalopnik • • science
Key Points:
- Only three documented cases exist of meteorites colliding head-on with cars, making such events extremely rare but fascinating intersections of cosmic phenomena and everyday life.
- The first recorded incident occurred in 1938 in Benld, Illinois, when a 3.9-pound meteorite penetrated a Pontiac coupe, demonstrating an unusually low atmospheric entry velocity.
- In 1992, a meteorite struck an 18-year-old’s Chevrolet Malibu in Peekskill, New York, causing damage that turned the car and meteorite into valuable collectibles and museum pieces.
- A 2009 meteorite impact in Grimsby, Ontario, damaged a Nissan Pathfinder’s windshield, highlighting the unpredictable nature of space debris reaching Earth's surface.
- Despite Earth receiving over 100 tons of space dust daily, the likelihood of a meteorite hitting a populated area or a vehicle is extraordinarily low, with most impacts occurring in unpopulated regions or oceans.
