The fall of the Tunguska meteorite in June 1908 is one of the most mentioned unexplained events of the 20th century. It is mentioned both in fiction and scientific literature. Given what sparked this interest, it's really hard to judge someone for such an inspiring topic.
Generally accepted theory
Almost every venerable scientist has come to the conclusion that a giant explosion in distant Siberia, which leveled 80 million trees to the ground and carried out window panes in cities 60 km away, was caused by a meteorite. Nevertheless, the lack of confirmed geological data on the presence of the meteorite, as well as the too late investigation of the incident, convinced many that there are other explanations for this incident, sometimes rather ridiculous.
Explanation of Italian scientists
A group of Italian researchers suggested that Siberia was indeed the site of a meteorite explosion. They went so far that they even began to claim that they had found the original crater, formed as a result of the impact of a celestial body on the ground.
Promotional video:
A team from the University of Bologna points to the rather picturesque Lake Checo, which is located at a distance of about 8 km from the epicenter of the explosion (it was determined by the pattern of falling trees). Not only was Cheko not marked on maps until early 1908, it is also much deeper than other lakes in the region.
Seismic studies of its bed show that sedimentary rocks accumulated there for no longer than a century. Seismologists also talk about a high-density object that is buried in the center of the lake. It is assumed that these are rocky or iron remains of a fallen meteorite.
Scenarios for the development of events
The team claims that two objects entered the Earth's atmosphere. It is assumed that it could be one object that was already separated in the atmosphere, or they were originally separated. One meteorite exploded in mid-air due to extreme pressure. It grew as it entered the atmosphere and caused the explosion that we all know about. The second part crashed into the ground, forming Lake Cheko.
Scientists have no conclusive evidence for the existence of this crater, but they were able to exclude a number of other hypotheses, which led them to this conclusion. This was stated by the head of the research group, Professor Giuseppe Longo.
Opinion of Russian colleagues
Nevertheless, scientists from the Russian Academy of Sciences conducted their own research, and now they strongly dispute this theory. Using sedimentary cores taken from the lake, they determined that their age is at least 280 years, that is, Cheko existed long before the Tunguska meteorite fell.
The studies have not yet been published in a scientific journal, but it is worth noting that meteorites do often explode in the air without leaving significant fragments later.
Anna Pismenna