Okay, but seriously, it was a kimberlite explosion. posted by billysumday at 4:10 PM on July 1, 2008
Thanks for posting this. I was thinking about doing the same yesterday, but didn't get around to it. posted by christopherious at 4:24 PM on July 1, 2008
Wherefore have I aforetime said, and here repeat again, Do not call up Any that you cannot put down. posted by arcanecrowbar at 5:56 PM on July 1, 2008 [3 favorites]
Every time I read about this, I beat my head in frustration that a) it took them so long to get there and b) they barely collected (or published) any data. posted by DU at 6:31 PM on July 1, 2008 [1 favorite]
"Sooner or later it was bound to happen..." posted by bondcliff at 7:17 PM on July 1, 2008
The most intriguing theory I've read was that it was the first nuclear test. When an atomic bomb detonates above the surface, due to some complicated physics, it will leave a ring of tree trunks standing around the blast site perimeter. Tunguska had this ring around the center of the blast site. And apparently there were significant radiation readings in the area.
How a nuclear bomb showed up in 1908 is befuddling, to say the least, and just brings up lots more questions. posted by zardoz at 7:21 PM on July 1, 2008
It was a controlled demolition, people. posted by tomble at 7:29 PM on July 1, 2008
I dunno, I still think being a bolide is the most interesting explanation.
See, it could happen again. posted by dhartung at 10:13 PM on July 1, 2008
I read the "nuke-theory" somewhere too, it's my favorite. Nukes in the age of horsedrawn carriages. posted by dabitch at 1:15 AM on July 2, 2008
...due to some complicated physics, it will leave a ring of tree trunks standing around the blast site perimeter. Tunguska had this ring around the center of the blast site.
If a tiger attacked my suburban dog, it would would be dead with bite marks. I found my dog dead with bite marks this morning. Therefore a tiger attacked it. <= Fallacious logic
Also, the "complicated physics" you are talking about has nothing to do with the atomic part of the atomic bomb and everything to do with the bomb part. So all you've established, if anything, is that something exploded above the surface. Which is the prevailing theory.
Thank you for posting this. I read it a few days ago, and thought it was the best summary of the events I've come across. posted by malaprohibita at 10:01 AM on July 2, 2008
Argh! That's what I get for not really paying attention. (of course I am at work...) posted by malaprohibita at 10:27 AM on July 2, 2008
Looks The Tunguska was covered in Radio 4's Material World this week (not listened to it yet)... if you can't get it via the website you can download the podcast (usually stays up for a week) posted by fearfulsymmetry at 4:47 PM on July 3, 2008
« Older
"We're not building a themed adventure for Mega Ma...
| A liquid mirror telescope is m...
Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
Subscribe
What is less known is that he got the idea from reading tablets which were recovered from the lost city of Atlantis.
Turns out, it was aliens the whole time.
posted by quin at 3:25 PM on July 1, 2008 [1 favorite]