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Chelyabinsk meteor melted before exploding

Analysis of fragments of the Chelyabinsk meteorite shows it either collided with another body before hitting the atmosphere or had a near miss with the sun before exploding over Russia on February 15 this year.

The fragments show the meteorite underwent extensive melting before being subjected to high temperatures as it entered the Earth’s atmosphere.

The explosion’s shockwave injured 1,500 people and damaged 7,200 buildings in six cities.

Read more at Institute of Geology and Mineralogy

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