A Canadian woman narrowly avoided being hit by a meteorite as it crashed through her roof and landed on top of her pillow.
Ruth Hamilton, a Golden resident, British Columbia, was sleeping in her bed when Hamilton reported that she was awakened by an explosion. Hamilton said Hamilton was shocked because something fell through her roof and poured debris on her.
She got up from her bed, climbed out of bed, and turned on the light to discover a rock between her pillows. It was right next to where her head was just moments before. According to The New York Times, the object was roughly the same size as a fist and weighed approximately 2.8 pounds (1.3 kgs), which was reported by The Times on Thursday (Oct.14).
Hamilton immediately called 911. A police officer arrived at the scene to investigate the wreckage, and then checked with a local contractor to determine if any explosions had occurred at the Kicking Horse Canyon highway, Victoria News reported.
Hamilton reported that a representative from a construction company said there was no blasting that night. However, they did mention seeing a bright spot in the sky that had exploded, causing some booms. Hamilton realized that the object she found on her pillow, a greyish, melon-sized boulder, was likely a rock from outer space. According to the Canadian Broadcasting Company, (CBC).
Space.com, a sister site of Live Sciences, reports that thousands of space rocks move through the Earth's atmosphere each year to strike the surface of the planets as meteorites. However, most of these cosmic projectiles are not noticed and often go undiscovered. Hamilton is the closest person to a meteorite in recorded history.
Ann Hodges, a Sylacauga resident, was one of the most famous examples. She was struck by a meteorite on November 30, 1954. Hodges, like Hamilton, was asleep at her house when the meteorite struck. Hamilton was able to escape her disaster unharmed, but Hodges was not so fortunate. Hodges was about the same size as a softball, and weighed in at 8.5 pounds (3.8kg). She suffered a severe bruise after she landed on a radio console. Space.com reported that Hodges survived.
Hamilton was not hurt in the accident, but she said that the experience left her shaken.
Hamilton stated that you are sound asleep and safe in your bed. However, you could be taken out by a meteorite. The meteorite will be sent to Western University's Department of Physics and Astronomy in London, Ontario for analysis. However, Hamilton stated that she would like to keep it once the research is complete.
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