Scientists from the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) were taken by surprise as an asteroid hit the atmosphere over the Caribbean. According to the space experts, the asteroid was supposed to pass by the Earth’s atmosphere instead of colliding with it.
In a statement after the crash, NASA experts explained that they are not capable of tracking asteroids of such small sizes. While it might seem that the space rock was of colossal magnitude, when put in the perspective of space, it is just a speck on the horizon.
The asteroid, named 2019 MO, was first spotted when it was far away from our planet, and even beyond the orbit of the Moon. However, the fact that NASA was taken by surprise by the course of the asteroid is what is more worrying.
Atmosphere hits and discoveries
The hit of the atmosphere over the Caribbean practically destroyed the asteroid, smashing it into tiny pieces. Our atmosphere has the qualities necessary to protect us from small space objects, as was the case with 2019 MO.
Even so, asteroids and meteorites manage to get to the surface of the Earth, and once analyzed, often lead to astonishing discoveries.
Just recently, a team of scientists discovered a new mineral called Edscottite. The discovery came fifty years after researchers found a piece of meteorite rock in a ditch near a small town in Australia.
The limited amount of objects which manage to pass through the Earth’s atmosphere and not get destroyed entirely are an unimaginable source of information. They are used by scientists to analyze and make deductions about what space is, and what other objects and substances there are, which remain unknown to humans.
Despite the significant scientific value of fallen asteroids and meteorites, being surprised by such events is not a good sign. NASA’s taskforces might be unable to track the movements of small asteroids, but such objects still pose a threat to our planet and its inhabitants, as in some cases they might survive the crash with our atmosphere.
How science news relates to schools…
The UN Climate Action Summit, being convened by UN Secretary-General on 23 September 2019 provides an opportunity for redefining people’s relationship with nature.
Solutions such as reforestation, ecosystem protection and rewilding represent 30% of the opportunity to address climate change yet receive just 3% of the available funding.
Educators are seen as pathfinders for the beleaguered environment. The World Economic Forum has sounded the alarm that global education policies have to change.
