Comments on: The sky is falling! http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:46:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Gaston http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/comment-page-2/#comment-418857 Gaston Sun, 18 Sep 2011 07:26:21 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/#comment-418857 Réellement très sympa tout cela ! Réellement très sympa tout cela !

]]> By: As coisas que estão caindo do céu nos estados unidos | PostMania http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/comment-page-2/#comment-214483 As coisas que estão caindo do céu nos estados unidos | PostMania Sun, 20 Sep 2009 21:44:02 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/#comment-214483 [...] Link: (inglês) http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/ [...] [...] Link: (inglês) http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/ [...]

]]> By: J Hall http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/comment-page-2/#comment-158960 J Hall Fri, 27 Feb 2009 20:58:58 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/#comment-158960 Forget CNN how about our safety inspectors...OSHA where are you? Out citing someone for standing on the top rung of a 4'ladder? Look up before someone gets killed! Forget CNN how about our safety inspectors…OSHA where are you? Out citing someone for standing on the top rung of a 4′ladder? Look up before someone gets killed!

]]> By: I will rain iron and brimstone upon Texas… | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/comment-page-2/#comment-158867 I will rain iron and brimstone upon Texas… | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:29:15 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/#comment-158867 [...] pounds? Two holes in it? Wait a sec, that sounds like the grinder tip that fell on a New Jersey warehouse last [...] [...] pounds? Two holes in it? Wait a sec, that sounds like the grinder tip that fell on a New Jersey warehouse last [...]

]]> By: Timothy from Boulder http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/comment-page-2/#comment-158806 Timothy from Boulder Fri, 27 Feb 2009 09:00:07 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/#comment-158806 CNN has a video report of yet another "mysterious metal object" falling from the sky and through the roof of a home in Dallas. Interviewed family member told it was a piece of the Cosmos/Iridium collision. http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2009/02/26/dnt.metal.through.roof.ktxa Photos pretty clearly indicate that it is ...drumroll... a badly worn tub grinder tip. Is it me, or is this happening *way* too frequently? And doesn't CNN have the internet? CNN has a video report of yet another “mysterious metal object” falling from the sky and through the roof of a home in Dallas. Interviewed family member told it was a piece of the Cosmos/Iridium collision.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2009/02/26/dnt.metal.through.roof.ktxa

Photos pretty clearly indicate that it is …drumroll… a badly worn tub grinder tip.

Is it me, or is this happening *way* too frequently?

And doesn’t CNN have the internet?

]]> By: J Hall http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/comment-page-2/#comment-158688 J Hall Thu, 26 Feb 2009 20:16:15 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/#comment-158688 Just discovered this article and it solved our mystery here in Bellingham Washington. 2 weeks ago we had the same object penetrate our steel roof and land inside our plant. Until now we had no idea what it could be. Speculated on several ideas one of which was a wood chipper that is located 1000 yards away. Seems strange that it could toss a 5lb piece of metal high enough to pierce a roof but the proof is in the hole! Thanks for the answer. Seems someone should be looking into the safety of wood chippers, it landed about 50ft from our crew. Just discovered this article and it solved our mystery here in Bellingham Washington. 2 weeks ago we had the same object penetrate our steel roof and land inside our plant. Until now we had no idea what it could be. Speculated on several ideas one of which was a wood chipper that is located 1000 yards away. Seems strange that it could toss a 5lb piece of metal high enough to pierce a roof but the proof is in the hole! Thanks for the answer. Seems someone should be looking into the safety of wood chippers, it landed about 50ft from our crew.

]]> By: Sman http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/comment-page-1/#comment-157485 Sman Thu, 19 Feb 2009 17:42:34 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/#comment-157485 It is difficult to discern in the video, but the Alabama stone looks similar to a chunk of stromotoporoid. Is anyone aware of any better photos? It is difficult to discern in the video, but the Alabama stone looks similar to a chunk of stromotoporoid. Is anyone aware of any better photos?

]]> By: Gary Ansorge http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/comment-page-1/#comment-157471 Gary Ansorge Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:19:48 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/#comment-157471 California psychics are way cooler than other states psychics because they're ,,,(wait for it),,, ,,,TOASTED,,, ,,,as opposed to being merely fried,,, California psychics are way cooler than other states psychics because they’re ,,,(wait for it),,,

,,,TOASTED,,,

,,,as opposed to being merely fried,,,

]]> By: Conic http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/comment-page-1/#comment-157460 Conic Thu, 19 Feb 2009 15:50:46 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/#comment-157460 If anyone ever took a basic geology class, they would know that the rock in the video there is NOT from space. Also, if it fell from any height (even one foot) it would have done more damage to that car. At terminal velocity, a rock like that would hit 400 mph easy... And it would smash right through the car. If anyone ever took a basic geology class, they would know that the rock in the video there is NOT from space. Also, if it fell from any height (even one foot) it would have done more damage to that car. At terminal velocity, a rock like that would hit 400 mph easy… And it would smash right through the car.

]]> By: Sceric http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/comment-page-1/#comment-157432 Sceric Thu, 19 Feb 2009 11:58:38 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/#comment-157432 I'm not absolutely sure, but could it be, that there is a foundry nearby?? I know that if you have scrap-metal with condesation on it and throw it in the furnace, you get flying scrap metal. I don't know, if that explains the "hot" part. As I haven't read all comments, I hope I didn't repeat something. I’m not absolutely sure, but could it be, that there is a foundry nearby?? I know that if you have scrap-metal with condesation on it and throw it in the furnace, you get flying scrap metal. I don’t know, if that explains the “hot” part.
As I haven’t read all comments, I hope I didn’t repeat something.

]]> By: IVAN3MAN http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/comment-page-1/#comment-157408 IVAN3MAN Thu, 19 Feb 2009 04:45:21 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/#comment-157408 Phil Plait: <blockquote>BTW the psychic ads have been blocked. Not too many bad ads get through the Hive Overmind’s web minions, but if you see one email me, and I’ll let them know.</blockquote> I don't know about everybody else here, but I find that <b>IE7</b> is very effective at blocking annoying adverts -- I do <b>not</b> get any! Whereas with <b>Firefox (3.0.6)</b>, I get <b>zodiacsecretsrevealed.com</b> coming through! :evil: Phil Plait:

BTW the psychic ads have been blocked. Not too many bad ads get through the Hive Overmind’s web minions, but if you see one email me, and I’ll let them know.

I don’t know about everybody else here, but I find that IE7 is very effective at blocking annoying adverts — I do not get any!

Whereas with Firefox (3.0.6), I get zodiacsecretsrevealed.com coming through! :evil:

]]> By: Daniel Fischer http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/comment-page-1/#comment-157403 Daniel Fischer Thu, 19 Feb 2009 03:47:36 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/#comment-157403 The explanations put forward by numerous commenters <a href="http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2009/02/jersey_city_ufo_mystery_solved.html" rel="nofollow">turned out to be correct</a>: It was a missing tooth of a gigantic mulching machine. And it isn't the first time that happened. The explanations put forward by numerous commenters turned out to be correct: It was a missing tooth of a gigantic mulching machine. And it isn’t the first time that happened.

]]> By: Kevin Conod http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/comment-page-1/#comment-157394 Kevin Conod Thu, 19 Feb 2009 03:17:33 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/#comment-157394 PS Hey now the next BABlogger that makes a crack about Jersey will be wearing some cement boots and sleepin' wit the fishes! Capiche? ;-) PS Hey now the next BABlogger that makes a crack about Jersey will be wearing some cement boots and sleepin’ wit the fishes! Capiche? ;-)

]]> By: Kevin Conod http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/comment-page-1/#comment-157392 Kevin Conod Thu, 19 Feb 2009 03:15:53 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/#comment-157392 Our planetarium is only a few miles from where this thing fell and we are a bit gun-shy about meteorites given the fiasco over the Freehold "meteorite" a year and a half ago. *That* one turned out to be space junk. *This* hunk of metal shows no sign of re-entry. This looks at bit beat up but one would expect at least some surface melting. Our planetarium is only a few miles from where this thing fell and we are a bit gun-shy about meteorites given the fiasco over the Freehold “meteorite” a year and a half ago. *That* one turned out to be space junk.

*This* hunk of metal shows no sign of re-entry. This looks at bit beat up but one would expect at least some surface melting.

]]> By: Ross http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/comment-page-1/#comment-157389 Ross Thu, 19 Feb 2009 03:03:23 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/#comment-157389 The CBS 42 site has a video ( http://www.cbs42.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=10682@wiat.dayport.com&navCatId=10 ) with much better images of the "meteorwrong" - there's clearly no fusion crust and it sure doesn't look like any stony meteorite I've seen before. From the picture it looks like some variety of carbonate. It's about the right size to be riprap or some other construction fill; maybe it fell from a passing dumptruck. If it had fallen from space I doubt there would be much of a car left. The CBS 42 site has a video ( http://www.cbs42.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=10682@wiat.dayport.com&navCatId=10 ) with much better images of the “meteorwrong” – there’s clearly no fusion crust and it sure doesn’t look like any stony meteorite I’ve seen before. From the picture it looks like some variety of carbonate. It’s about the right size to be riprap or some other construction fill; maybe it fell from a passing dumptruck. If it had fallen from space I doubt there would be much of a car left.

]]> By: CR http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/comment-page-1/#comment-157388 CR Thu, 19 Feb 2009 02:53:09 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/#comment-157388 Man, I have to check in more often; others have already beat me to this! I was guessing a trebuchet for the stony object. (Why not a catapult? Trebuchet is just a cooler word... and a cooler device, for that matter.) Man, I have to check in more often; others have already beat me to this! I was guessing a trebuchet for the stony object. (Why not a catapult? Trebuchet is just a cooler word… and a cooler device, for that matter.)

]]> By: Jack Hagerty http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/comment-page-1/#comment-157384 Jack Hagerty Thu, 19 Feb 2009 02:31:35 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/#comment-157384 SplendidMonkey Says: "'And I guess that was your accomplice in the wood chipper.' " I'm glad someone said it. - Jack SplendidMonkey Says: “‘And I guess that was your accomplice in the wood chipper.’ ”

I’m glad someone said it.

- Jack

]]> By: Phil Plait http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/comment-page-1/#comment-157377 Phil Plait Thu, 19 Feb 2009 02:07:16 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/#comment-157377 BTW the psychic ads have been blocked. Not too many bad ads get through the Hive Overmind's web minions, but if you see one email me, and I'll let them know. BTW the psychic ads have been blocked. Not too many bad ads get through the Hive Overmind’s web minions, but if you see one email me, and I’ll let them know.

]]> By: MadScientist http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/comment-page-1/#comment-157369 MadScientist Thu, 19 Feb 2009 01:29:10 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/#comment-157369 @durnett: I thought the same thing: looks like something flung by a trebuchet. Fetchez la vache! @durnett:

I thought the same thing: looks like something flung by a trebuchet. Fetchez la vache!

]]> By: Thanny http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/comment-page-1/#comment-157359 Thanny Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:09:32 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/#comment-157359 I live in NJ and my back yard is a forest. Too many people know nothing of NJ but the strip of asphalt between NYC and Philly and down the eastern coast. And that includes the residents who live in those areas. I live in NJ and my back yard is a forest. Too many people know nothing of NJ but the strip of asphalt between NYC and Philly and down the eastern coast. And that includes the residents who live in those areas.

]]> By: Donnie B. http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/comment-page-1/#comment-157356 Donnie B. Wed, 18 Feb 2009 23:32:03 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/#comment-157356 Actually, Michael, there's no evidence the chipper chipped any wood after it flung its flange. Actually, Michael, there’s no evidence the chipper chipped any wood after it flung its flange.

]]> By: CodeWeaver http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/comment-page-1/#comment-157353 CodeWeaver Wed, 18 Feb 2009 23:16:26 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/#comment-157353 I don't post often, but I love the site. Question: How many stars are there close enough that we could see an event of this nature? I guess it would be a combination of the proliferation of this particular star in our vicinity and the likelihood of it being near the end of its life... anybody have a back of the envelope guess as to how often we'd see this? OT: Phil, I agree with Grant: I'm also seeing a banner on the top *and* an advertisement on the side for this "California Psychics". I don’t post often, but I love the site.

Question: How many stars are there close enough that we could see an event of this nature? I guess it would be a combination of the proliferation of this particular star in our vicinity and the likelihood of it being near the end of its life… anybody have a back of the envelope guess as to how often we’d see this?

OT: Phil, I agree with Grant:

I’m also seeing a banner on the top *and* an advertisement on the side for this “California Psychics”.

]]> By: Michael L http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/comment-page-1/#comment-157351 Michael L Wed, 18 Feb 2009 23:01:36 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/#comment-157351 This begs the question, if this is from a wood chipper, "How much wood could a wood chipper chip, if a woodchipper could chip wood, because clearly, this wood chipper could chip wood without the wood chipper wood chipy thing?" This begs the question, if this is from a wood chipper, “How much wood could a wood chipper chip, if a woodchipper could chip wood, because clearly, this wood chipper could chip wood without the wood chipper wood chipy thing?”

]]> By: Cheyenne http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/comment-page-1/#comment-157346 Cheyenne Wed, 18 Feb 2009 22:29:48 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/#comment-157346 OK now that made me laugh! OK now that made me laugh!

]]> By: Trebuchet http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/comment-page-1/#comment-157345 Trebuchet Wed, 18 Feb 2009 22:22:36 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/02/18/the-sky-is-falling/#comment-157345 >Durnett: Someone has been playing with his catapult… I resemble that remark! >Durnett: Someone has been playing with his catapult…

I resemble that remark!

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