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Space Science

Crater From 1908 Tunguska Blast Found 192

MaineCoasts writes "A team of scientists from the Marine Science Institute in Bologna claims to have found the crater left by the aerial blast of a comet or asteroid in 1908 in the Tunguska region of Siberia. The blast flattened 770 square miles (2,000 square kilometers) of forest, but to date no remains or crater have been found. This has left open the question of what kind of object made the impact. The team believes that, contrary to previous studies, nearby Lake Cheko is only one century old and 'If the body was an asteroid, a surviving fragment may be buried beneath the lake. If it was a comet, its chemical signature should be found in the deepest layers of sediments.' The team's findings are based on a 1999 expedition to Tunguska and appeared in the August issue of the journal Terra Nova."
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Crater From 1908 Tunguska Blast Found

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  • by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 08, 2007 @10:19AM (#21280711)
    Did they find any black oil?
  • by SpaceLifeForm ( 228190 ) on Thursday November 08, 2007 @10:24AM (#21280765)
    With the lake being the melted ice of the comet.
  • the impact site is 3.26 km wide. this corresponds to a resonance chamber for the tau muon rays we are all familiar with, with a frequency of 23.44 kHz. please adjust your tin foil hats accordingly
  • by MarkGriz ( 520778 ) on Thursday November 08, 2007 @10:33AM (#21280877)
    "If scientists can't find a crater that's 2,000 square miles across then what chance do they have the day they lose their keys down the back of the sofa?"

    Considering YOU think that square miles are a measure of distance rather than area, and that kilometers are equivalent to miles, I'd say they have a better chance than you do.
  • by larpon ( 974081 ) on Thursday November 08, 2007 @10:50AM (#21281071)
    This picture was taken over the crater in Siberia with an onboard polaroid during the
    Apollo 11 mission...

       \ | /
      -  O  -
       / | \

    It reminds me of something...
  • Phooey! (Score:2, Funny)

    by Dan East ( 318230 ) on Thursday November 08, 2007 @10:56AM (#21281123) Journal
    A team of scientists from the Marine Science Institute in Bologna claims to have found the crater left by the aerial blast of a comet or asteroid in 1908 in the Tunguska region of Siberia.

    This is nothing but a bunch of bologna.

    Dan East
  • by Osurak ( 1013927 ) on Thursday November 08, 2007 @11:14AM (#21281329)
    Dr Ray Stantz: Are you okay?
    Louis: Who are you guys?
    Dr Ray Stantz: We're the Ghostbusters.
    Louis: Who does your taxes?
    Dr Ray Stantz: You know, Mr. Tully, you are a most fortunate individual.
    Louis: I know!
    Dr Ray Stantz: You have been a participant in the biggest interdimensional cross rip since the Tunguska blast of 1909!
    Louis: Felt great.
    Dr. Egon Spengler: We'd like to get a sample of your brain tissue.
    Louis: Okay.
  • wait... (Score:2, Funny)

    by circletimessquare ( 444983 ) <circletimessquar ... m minus language> on Thursday November 08, 2007 @11:29AM (#21281469) Homepage Journal
    are you trolling us?

    if you are, that's a fantastic bait hook right there, congratulations on crafting that lure

    if you are not trolling us, and you are actually and earnestly interested in tesla causing tunguska, then congratulations to me

    for reeling in with my conspiracy theorist joke a genuine paranoid schizophrenic

    But don't worry about my incredulous attitude friend, I'M AN AGENT OF THE ILLUMINATI

    i was sent here to distract you with silly jokes, to interfere with your concentration in the important search for the real truth. and now i am casting aspersions on your good name in desperation, so you do not let more of the truth out

    we are watching you

    below is the secret scrambled communique on subject "catmistake" for other illuminati agents on slashdot. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DECRYPT WITHOUT PROPER AUTHORIZATION OR YOU MAY SUFFER IRREVERSIBLE BRAIN DAMAGE:

    dscnd f sxiro 9vnfiol wn ofdsn aj opitrni tgprepe wnf nbwuioqn n
  • Re:Crater (Score:1, Funny)

    by tomatensaft ( 661701 ) <tomatensaft@gmail. c o m> on Thursday November 08, 2007 @11:33AM (#21281519)
    Yes, in Soviet Russia craters find YOU!
  • by grand_it ( 949276 ) on Thursday November 08, 2007 @11:49AM (#21281729)
    Wasn't this on slashdot a few months ago? I remember this being discussed before...

    Isn't this comment on slashdot a few times a month? I remember dupes being discussed before... ;)

  • by Random BedHead Ed ( 602081 ) on Thursday November 08, 2007 @12:05PM (#21281915) Homepage Journal

    In Soviet Russia, asteroid finds you.

    (Bracing for mod down ...)

  • Re:wait... (Score:3, Funny)

    by catmistake ( 814204 ) on Thursday November 08, 2007 @12:47PM (#21282509) Journal
    No, not a troll but an ask.
    The Tesla explanation is always quickly dismissed. My point is that quick dismissal never quashes underdog theories. What is needed is a thoroughly complete study of why it couldn't have been Tesla. I realize its sometimes impossible to disprove anything, but, afaik no one has even tried. "Its ridiculous, that's why," is not a scientific explaination. Many many many sane individuals, either for lack of specific scientific knowledge or real evidence to the contrary, think maybe its possible... so if its not, those that know should stop being so evasive and dismissive, come down from their self-proclaimed iamsmarterthaneveryone towers and just break it down once and for all from all possible angles.

    And, yes, you are funny. plz keep it up!
  • by simcop2387 ( 703011 ) on Thursday November 08, 2007 @01:05PM (#21282783) Homepage Journal
    HE'S FEEDING US FALSE INFORMATION!
    he's trying to get us to retune our hats to let in the REAL frequency!

    the speed of light / (3.26 kilometers) = 91.9608767 kilohertz
  • by tjw ( 27390 ) on Thursday November 08, 2007 @03:13PM (#21284699) Homepage

    In that place the seven rich Dzhenkoul brothers in those days pastured a reindeer herd of 600-700 head. The brothers were rich.
    1) how is the brothers' wealth relevant to this story in any way?
    2) how rich were they?
  • by Forge ( 2456 ) <kevinforge AT gmail DOT com> on Thursday November 08, 2007 @05:15PM (#21286337) Homepage Journal
    What's all this talk of an asteroid?

    The Tunguska region is one of the largest uninhabited land areas on earth. One of the few places were an explosion could level 2000 square kilometres of forest while killing no people and very few advanced animals.

    In other words the perfect place for a being with thought processes similar to ours to drop a dysfunctional engine core (or something similar) before it explodes.

    Now what became of that pilot, his ship and possibly his crew? Chances are they made a safe landing in another remote area and were latter picked up by the alien equivalent of "American Automobile Association". The towing charge from within our atmosphere to the nearest repair shop might have ruined their whole day though :).

    That scenario would explain the complete lack of debris. Depending on it's construction the jettisoned portion of the engine would all be vaporised in a massive "nuclear like" explosion.

  • by Anonymous Coward on Thursday November 08, 2007 @06:17PM (#21287241)
    In pre-Soviet, autocratic Czarist Russia...asteroid goes unnoticed!

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