Did an asteroid 'bounce' off earth? Wild new theory reveals shocking details behind Tunguska celestial strike
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For decades, scientists have been baffled by the mysterious event. Was it a comet? A meteor? A black hole? Now, a groundbreaking new theory suggests something even more extraordinary—what if the asteroid never actually struck Earth, but instead bounced back into space?
The Asteroid That Skimmed Earth
According to Russian scientists, the Tunguska explosion may have been caused by an iron asteroid that skimmed dangerously close to Earth’s surface before rebounding back into space. This high-speed cosmic visitor is believed to have entered the atmosphere at a low angle, reaching an altitude of just 6 to 9 miles above the ground before partially disintegrating.
The asteroid, estimated to have been up to 300 feet in diameter, likely lost half of its three-million-ton mass as it tore through the atmosphere. But instead of crashing into the Siberian wilderness, it continued on its trajectory and escaped back into space—leaving behind devastation without ever making direct contact with the ground.
An Explosion Rivaling Nuclear Bombs
Scientists estimate that the Tunguska event released energy equivalent to 15 megatons of TNT—nearly 1,000 times the power of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Some studies suggest it could have been even larger, rivaling a 30-megaton explosion.
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