Meteorite Strikes!

Meteorite strikes are relatively uncommon because the majority of meteoroids, which are small rocks or particles in space, burn up in Earth's atmosphere before they can reach the ground. As they travel through the atmosphere, the friction generated by their high speed causes them to heat up and disintegrate, producing the streaks of light known as meteors or shooting stars. Additionally, the Earth's atmosphere acts as a shield that protects the planet from many smaller meteoroids. Only the largest and most massive meteoroids are able to penetrate the atmosphere and reach the ground as meteorites. Finally, the Earth's surface is mostly covered by water, and large land masses are relatively rare. This means that there are fewer potential impact sites compared to the vastness of space, further reducing the likelihood of a meteorite strike in any given location. Despite these factors, however, meteorite strikes do still occur, and they can have significant effects on the surrounding area. Scientists are constantly monitoring the skies for potentially hazardous objects, and there are plans in place to mitigate the damage caused by any future impact events.