Scientists Uncover Secret , Behind the Strange Behavior , of Earthbound Meteorites.<br />'The Independent' reports that scientists <br />now understand why rocks survive entry <br />into the Earth's atmosphere as meteorites. .<br />Most of our meteorites fall from rocks <br />the size of grapefruits to small cars, Peter Jenniskens, lead author and meteor astronomer at SETI Institute and Nasa Ames Research Center, via 'The Independent'.<br />Rocks that big do not spin fast enough <br />to spread the heat during the brief meteor <br />phase, and we now have evidence that <br />the backside survives to the ground, Peter Jenniskens, lead author and meteor astronomer at SETI Institute and Nasa Ames Research Center, via 'The Independent'.<br />A 6-meter asteroid detected in 2008 helped <br />researchers more fully understand meteorites. .<br />Scientists tracked the asteroid for over <br />20 hours before it hit Earth's atmosphere.<br />The impact created a bright meteor that <br />disintegrated over the Nubian Desert of Sudan <br />and ended with a shower of meteorites.<br />The impact created a bright meteor that <br />disintegrated over the Nubian Desert of Sudan <br />and ended with a shower of meteorites.<br />In a series of dedicated search campaigns, <br />our students recovered over 600 meteorites, <br />some as big as a fist, but most <br />no bigger than a thumbnail, Muawia Shaddad, <br />University of Khartoum professor, <br />via 'The Independent'.<br />In a series of dedicated search campaigns, <br />our students recovered over 600 meteorites, <br />some as big as a fist, but most <br />no bigger than a thumbnail, Muawia Shaddad, <br />University of Khartoum professor, <br />via 'The Independent'.<br />Friction in the atmosphere stopped <br />the smallest meteorites from reaching Earth, <br />while larger pieces survived the fall.<br />The largest meteorites from 2008 TC3 <br />were spread wider than the small ones, <br />which means that they originated <br />from this final collapse, Peter Jenniskens, lead author and meteor astronomer at SETI Institute and Nasa Ames Research Center, via 'The Independent'.<br />Based on where they <br />were found, we concluded that these <br />pieces stayed relatively large <br />all the way to the ground, Peter Jenniskens, lead author and meteor astronomer at SETI Institute and Nasa Ames Research Center, via 'The Independent'.<br />The team's findings were published <br />in 'Meteoritics and Planetary Science.'
