striking!
Short answer: A 2020 study estimated that about 17 meteorites, totaling some 6,100 a year, reach Earth's surface daily, most in oceans or remote areas. Over about 4.5 billion years, impacts number in the billions.
Famous craters include Chicxulub in Mexico, linked to the extinction of the non-avian dinosaurs about 66 million years ago, and Meteor Crater (Barringer Crater) in Arizona, about 50,000 years old. The footage shows an animated Earth with impact points.
In collections:The Sun and the Stars
What should you know about striking!?
Quick facts. Each one stands alone and has a stable ID you can cite.
About 17 a day.
About 6,000 a year.
Video transcript: striking!: Researchers Estimate About 17 Meteorites Reach the Ground Each Day
Did you know? While it is impossible to determine the exact number of meteors that have struck Earth, scientists estimate that around 17 meteors large enough to reach the ground impact the planet each day, resulting in about 6,000 annually. Most of these are small, leaving no significant traces. Over Earth's 4.5 billion year history, the total number is easily in the billions, with notable examples including the Chicxulub Crater linked to the Dinosaur Extinction and the Barringer Crater in Arizona. NOW YOU KNOW!
Burned-in captions, read frame by frame (see transcript.md) · 24.4s Reel ·
The write-up
Researchers estimate about 17 meteorites reach the ground each day. Most are small and never found.
- Exhibit A
Daily
About 17 a day.
- Exhibit B
Yearly
About 6,000 a year.
- Exhibit C
Chicxulub
Linked to the dinosaur extinction.
- Exhibit D
Arizona
Meteor Crater is about 50,000 years old.
- Exhibit E
Age
Earth is about 4.5 billion years old.
Questions people ask about striking!
About how many reach the ground daily?
2020 estimate.
Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Daily) · Wikipedia: Meteorite
Which crater is tied to the dinosaurs?
Mexico.
Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Yearly) · Wikipedia: Meteorite
Where is Meteor Crater?
Barringer.
Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Chicxulub) · Wikipedia: Chicxulub crater
What do we call rocks that land?
Reached ground.
Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Arizona) · Wikipedia: Meteor Crater
How old is Earth?
Age.
Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Age) · Wikipedia: Meteorite
Test Your Knowledge
All quizzes →5 questions, all from this case file. Answers are revealed instantly.
About how many reach the ground daily?
- 17
- 1
- 1,000
- None
Show the answer
Answer: A. 17 2020 estimate. Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Daily) · Wikipedia: Meteorite
Which crater is tied to the dinosaurs?
- Chicxulub
- Meteor Crater
- Vredefort
- Tycho
Show the answer
Answer: A. Chicxulub Mexico. Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Yearly) · Wikipedia: Meteorite
Where is Meteor Crater?
- Arizona
- Texas
- Siberia
- Australia
Show the answer
Answer: A. Arizona Barringer. Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Chicxulub) · Wikipedia: Chicxulub crater
What do we call rocks that land?
- Meteorites
- Meteors
- Comets
- Asteroids
Show the answer
Answer: A. Meteorites Reached ground. Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Arizona) · Wikipedia: Meteor Crater
How old is Earth?
- About 4.5 billion years
- 6,000 years
- 1 million years
- 100 billion years
Show the answer
Answer: A. About 4.5 billion years Age. Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Age) · Wikipedia: Meteorite
Cite this case file
Easterling, Marcus. "striking!." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-393, last updated Nov 26, 2024. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/striking/
Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/striking/ · Last updated
Cite a single fact by its ID, for example DD-393-F01 → https://detailenjoyer.com/case/striking/#DD-393-F01
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