Peru meteorite crash 'causes mystery illness'

[Richard]

Up to 200 made ill by 'fumes' from meteor

by John Pickrell
Cosmos Online

SYDNEY: Scientists are perplexed by a meteorite strike in Peru near Lake Titicaca that has left a 20-metre-wide crater and is reported to have produced fumes that made up to 200 people sick.

News agencies have reported that scores of locals in the farming village of Carancas began vomiting and complaining of headaches and dizziness after the rock crashed to Earth on Saturday creating an eight-meter-deep crater.

Local residents said they heard an explosion and felt the ground shake as the meteorite impacted with the ground. Pictures showed a muddy pool of water inside the crater.

Extreme health effects

Police officers who went to crater were given oxygen and taken to hospital after suffering from similar symptoms. A local scientist said that fumes from the crater are so strong that he felt irritation in his nose and throat even though he was wearing a mask.

A local health ministry official, Jorge Lopez, said none of the patients were seriously ill, but that they would have to undergo blood and neurological tests as a precaution. A medical facility was installed in Carancas to treat the patients, and "if necessary, some will be sent to hospitals in Puno," the nearest big city, he said.

Peruvian Nuclear Energy Institute engineer Renan Ramirez said a team of scientists found no radiation at the crash site and confirmed that a fallen satellite did not create the crater. Ramirez speculated that sulphur, arsenic or other toxins that melted in the extreme heat produced by the meteorite strike might have caused the illnesses that struck the local population.

"What an amazing story ... I've never heard of any such extreme health effects associated with a meteorite fall before," said geoscientist Ross Pogson, manager of the mineralogy collection at the Australian Museum in Sydney. It's unlikely that any noxious gases have come from the meteorite itself, he said, "[But] it's possible that gases could have been released due to effects of heat and pressure on disrupted rocks under the crater."

Noxious contenders

Pogson said he could only speculate on the nature of these gases, but possible contenders include sulphur, sulphur dioxide, chlorine, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide.

According to meteorite experts, this appears to be a unique event. No other meteorites have been recorded releasing toxic gases. "Getting hit on the head by one wouldn't be good, but I've never heard of any adverse health effects related to gases released by meteorites before," said Alex Bevan Australia's top expert on meteorites at the Western Australian Museum in Perth.

"There's something not quite right about this," he added, arguing that it's even a possibility that the sighting of the fireball in the sky and the subsequent ground tremor and explosion that created the crater are unrelated events.

Bevan said he is waiting for more detailed reports from Peruvian scientists – due to be released later this week – and images of any fragments of the meteorite before he attempts to make an more comprehensive assessment.

http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/node/1592

[Polly]

I noted what the Space Weather website has to say about this:

www.spaceweather.com

PERUVIAN METEORITE: There is much discussion on the Internet today concerning a reported meteorite impact in Peru which may have gouged a 10- to 30-meter wide crater. Bad-smelling fumes from the crater are said to have sickened dozens and perhaps hundreds of people in a nearby village. Could this be true?

There is indeed a hole in the ground in Peru, pictured above, and by all accounts it smells bad, but it is not likely of cosmic origin. In order to blast a 30-meter crater, a meteorite would have to hit the ground with about as much energy as 1 kiloton of TNT--akin to a tactical nuclear weapon. This would leave a clear signal in worldwide seismic and infrasound records, but so far no such signals are being reported by authorities.

In short, we remain unconvinced. Stay tuned for updates.

Link to story and picture:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/space/article/...20,00.html

 

[Richard]

It sounds like we have a mystery.  icon_confused

[Richard]

Scientist Confirms Meteorite in Puno, Peru is a Chondrite 

(LIP-ir) -- Peru's official government news agency reported this afternoon that scientists which went to the town of Carancas in the Region of Puno, Peru, have confirmed that the glowing object which fell from the sky on Saturday afternoon was indeed a meteorite.

Volcanologist for Peru's Geological, Mining and Metallurgical Institute (INGEMMET), Luisa Macedo, confirmed that a chondrite meteorite had caused the 17 meter (55 foot) wide and 5 meter (16 foot) deep crater when it landed on earth.

It was reported that with the help of the Desaguadero Municipality, the water would be drained out of the crater to establish the exact size of the hole that was made by the chondrite meteorite.

Macedo explained that the chondrite was not radioactive and did not have any toxic gases or substances which could be harmful to peoples health. On the other hand, Macedo stated that it had not yet been established if the water supply in the province of Chucuito had been contaminated or not.

Aside from the analysis Macedo is performing, the National University of Altiplano, Peru's Nuclear Energy Institute, the National Institute of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Health and a Bolivian university are all taking part in the analysis of the area. 

http://www.livinginperu.com/news-4730-en...-chondrite

[Sily]

It sounds like we have a mystery.  icon_confused

A chemical bomb test disguised as a meteor.     :think:

[Sily]

From Pravda:

Russian Military Intelligence Analysts are reporting today that one of the United States most secretive spy satellites, the KH-13, targeting Iran was 'destroyed in its orbit' with its main power generator powered by the radioactive isotope Pu-238 surviving re-entry and crashing in a remote region of the South American Nation of Peru, and where hundreds are reported to be ill from radiation poisoning. 

 

Link to story

:think:

[Richard]

That’s interesting, thanks for the info Sily.

[Sily]

Richard, did you notice how many "13's" in my last post? 

1. My post time:  08:50 am (8+5=13)
   
2. secretive spy satellites, the KH-13
   
3. the radioactive isotope Pu-238   (2+3+8=13)

[Avatar]

To even begin to speculate about what may or may not have caused the Peruvian Meteorite is really not something to become to absorbed in, because many forums across the Internet have many posters speculating about 'strange events' occurring in our Solar System and therefore the Peruvian Meteorite is just another piece of speculation.

What is known is the Kuiper Belt Aliens have been in our Solar System for at least 25 years, but in much smaller numbers and then after 1992, their 'star ships' in the Outer Solar System began to massively grow in number. Currently orbiting Saturn there is a KBA 'space ship' that is 8500 KM in length and 5000 KM in width. Plus you are all aware of the strange, metallic ovaloid object orbiting inside and outside of the orbit of Pluto, that is 1800 KM in length and 800 KM at its widest point.

[Richard]

Sily, that’s interesting about all those 13s. It’s strange how they turn up everywhere. One things that puzzles me is they claim scientist confirmed the object is a meteorite. So that means if it is a satellite, then the scientist are lying. It will be interesting to see if more info comes out as time goes on.