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A meteor is a space-originating object that falls into Earth's atmosphere. If it survives its fiery descent and reaches the surface, it becomes a meteorite. Despite humanity’s advancing knowledge of the cosmos in the past century, meteors have been both witnessed and documented throughout history. Their appearances have often inspired wonder and, at times, posed significant threats to those who witnessed them.
10. Extinction Events
Beneath the Gulf of Mexico, off the Yucatan Peninsula, rests the remains of one of the most significant meteorite events in Earth's history. The Chicxulub Crater, a massive 125-meter hole, marks the site of the meteor that caused the largest mass extinction event in recorded history.
Around 66 million years ago, a meteorite approximately the size of Staten Island struck Earth. The impact was so powerful it ignited wildfires across vast distances. The explosion hurled massive amounts of sulfur, ash, and debris into the atmosphere, darkening the sky for months and plunging the Earth into a prolonged, unexpected winter. This cataclysmic event led to the extinction of 75 percent of life on Earth, including the dominant species, dinosaurs. Only small, warm-blooded mammals survived the disaster. With no predators around, mammals, including humans and Internet list writers, eventually evolved into the species we recognize today.
9. Mecca
Each year, Muslims from across the globe journey to Mecca in present-day Saudi Arabia. This ancient city is home to the Kaaba, the holiest site in Islam. Though its exact age remains uncertain (with many Muslims believing it was constructed by Abraham), one particular stone, located at one corner of the structure, may hold the key to its long-standing importance.
In the eastern corner of the Kaaba, encased in silver, is the mysterious Black Stone. According to Muslim tradition, this stone descended from the heavens to guide Adam and Eve in constructing their altar. Due to its sacred nature, it is forbidden to test the stone, but scientists have still proposed alternative theories regarding its origins. Geological evidence and nearby craters suggest that the Black Stone could very well be an ancient meteorite. It is possible that early inhabitants of the region saw the stone fall from the sky and believed it to be a divine sign from Allah.
8. King Tut’s Dagger
The discovery of the boy pharaoh King Tut and his untouched tomb has captivated the world since it was unearthed in 1922. Even three years after the tomb's opening, King Tut still held a few secrets. When scientists examined the mummy, they found two daggers wrapped alongside the young king. One was a gold dagger positioned near his abdomen, and the other, an iron dagger, lay close to his hip. The iron dagger in particular intrigued historians, as iron was exceedingly rare during the Bronze Age, the period in which Tut lived, passed away, and was embalmed.
Additional analysis of the blade's composition—nickel, iron, and cobalt—has led most scientists to conclude that the dagger is of extraterrestrial origin. It is believed to have been crafted from one of 11 meteorites discovered in ancient Egypt during King Tut’s reign. The rarity and preciousness of such a weapon suggest that it was likely used for ceremonial purposes rather than for practical use.
7. Nordlingen
From an overhead perspective, the medieval German town of Nordlingen presents a perfectly round shape. It stands as one of the rare towns in Germany to still feature intact city walls. The origins of its circular form, however, date back millions of years before the town's establishment in the ninth century.
What makes Nordlingen truly unique is its position within a crater formed by a meteor impact 14.5 million years ago. The crater itself spans about 25 kilometers, and the city’s founders built the town’s walls directly over the spot where a 1-kilometer-wide meteorite once rested. Fragments of this ancient rock remain embedded in the city walls.
Until the 1960s, it was commonly believed that Nordlingen was constructed within a volcanic crater. However, more recent discoveries have revealed microscopic diamonds within the walls and cathedral. These diamonds, though too small to hold value, are believed to be remnants of the meteor that struck the area long before human settlements existed.
6. Ensisheim France 1492
Just three months after Columbus arrived in the New World, a surprising visitor arrived in the French village of Ensisheim. This visitor was a 120-pound meteorite that landed in a nearby field. As previously mentioned, the Ensisheim meteorite is the oldest preserved meteorite in existence. While only one boy witnessed its impact, the meteorite quickly became famous and attracted attention from all around.
People from surrounding regions flocked to take a piece of the meteorite. Eventually, church officials claimed the rock, bringing it back to the Ensisheim Church and chaining it there. Portions of the meteorite were then given to the emperor and pope. Songs and tales were composed in its honor, and many believed it to be a divine message—either a blessing or a warning from God. Since the 15th century, the meteorite has remained a proud symbol for the town of Ensisheim.
5. The Milanese Monk Tortona Italy 1677
While the people of Ensisheim take great pride in their meteorite, not everyone shares the same fondness for these celestial visitors. In 1677, a report from Tortona, Italy, described a tragic event involving a monk who met his demise due to a meteorite. At St. Mary’s convent, a monk suddenly dropped dead after being struck by an object that seemed to fall from the sky. Several fellow monks rushed to his aid and discovered a hole in his side. As one monk later described:
“Driven by curiosity, they enlarged the wound to investigate further; to their shock, they discovered that it had penetrated to the bone, and at the bottom of the wound was a round stone. This stone had caused the monk’s death in an astonishing and horrific manner.”
If this account is accurate, it would mark the first—and only—documented death caused by a meteorite in history.
4. Mark Twain And Halley’s Comet
Although Halley’s Comet is not technically a meteorite since it never touches the Earth, it deserves mention here because of its strong connection to a renowned historical figure. The comet is well-known for its easy visibility and predictable return. After making a close pass around the Sun and traveling as far out as Neptune, Halley’s Comet can be seen with its bright, characteristic tail once every 75 or 76 years—often a once-in-a-lifetime event for many. The famous writer Mark Twain was fortunate enough to experience two of Halley’s orbits, though on both occasions, he was otherwise occupied. The first time the comet passed, in 1835, he was being born. Twain always felt a special connection to the comet, famously saying:
“I came in with Halley’s Comet… It is coming again… And I expect to go out with it… The Almighty must have said, no doubt: ‘Now here are these two unaccountable freaks; they came in together, they must go out together.’”
While Twain had no way of knowing how accurate his prediction was, when the comet returned in April 1910, Mark Twain quietly departed from this world alongside it.
3. Sochi Olympics
In perhaps the most thoroughly documented meteor event in history, a 20-meter-wide meteor exploded over Chelyabinsk, Russia, in February 2013. The blast released energy equivalent to 500 kilotons of TNT, knocking people off their feet, collapsing roofs, and shattering windows across an area of over 30 miles. Over 1,200 people were hospitalized, most due to injuries from flying glass. Around four to six tons of meteorite debris fell in the region, with the largest piece landing in a nearby lake.
When the Russian government recovered the meteorite from the lake for further analysis, they seized the opportunity to link the event with the upcoming Winter Olympics they were hosting. Ten of the gold medals awarded at the ceremony contained fragments of the Chelyabinsk meteorite, offering the world’s top athletes a truly out-of-this-world prize.
2. Ann Hodges
On November 30, 1954, Ann Hodges, a 34-year-old woman from Sylacauga, Alabama, had a rather dull day. In fact, it was so uneventful that she decided to take a nap on her couch, a decision that would drastically alter her day. While she rested, a rock weighing 8.5 pounds plummeted through her ceiling, bouncing off a radio before striking her in the thigh.
Confused and in pain upon waking, Hodges discovered a meteorite resting in the middle of her living room. Miraculously, she only sustained some bruising, but she became the first person in modern history to be hit by a meteorite. Her newfound fame quickly grew, especially as she became embroiled in a year-long legal battle over ownership of the meteorite. The local authorities had taken possession of the rock, raising the question of whether extraterrestrial objects belonged to the government or to the individual who found them. The case was settled out of court, with Hodges ultimately keeping the meteorite, which she later donated to a museum.
1. Tunguska Event
On June 30, 1908, the Tunguska Event in Siberia became one of the most documented and enigmatic meteor incidents in modern history. Early that morning, at around 7:00 AM, a devastating blast caused windows to shatter over 35 miles, trees were toppled, and hundreds of reindeer perished. People as far as Asia saw the flash of light and felt the intense heat. The explosion was as powerful as 185 Hiroshima bombs. However, despite the extensive damage, the meteorite itself was nowhere to be found. It took nearly two decades for scientists to uncover an explanation for the event.
Although no human lives were lost due to the remote location of the explosion, locals were hesitant to discuss it, fearing that it was a divine punishment from the Slavic god Ogdy. As scientists traced the path of fallen trees, the mystery deepened when they realized there was no crater at ground zero. Instead, in the epicenter, trees remained standing but were completely stripped of branches and bark.
While the exact cause of the blast remains a topic of debate, NASA and other organizations agree that a meteor about 120 feet wide likely entered the Earth's atmosphere above Siberia and exploded. It is believed that the meteor disintegrated before reaching the surface, which accounts for the absence of a crater or any direct evidence of the meteor.
