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Scientists recover meteorite

October 16, 2013

Divers have brought to shore a 570-kilogram (1,256 pounds) chunk of a meteorite which had blazed over the Russian town of Chelyabinsk in February. Its impact was the largest on record in decades.

https://p.dw.com/p/1A1FJ
TAR-TASS: CHELYABINSK REGION, RUSSIA, FEBRUARY 15, 2013. A white contrail left by a meteor. (Photo ITAR-TASS / Viktoria Gorbunova) +++(c) dpa - Bildfunk+++
Image: picture-alliance/dpa

Divers recover chunk of Russian meteorite

Part of the "Chelyabinsk" meteorite was recovered from a nearby lake on Wednesday and brought to shore.

Russian scientists overseeing the divers had a steelyard balance ready to measure the meteorite. The 570-kilogram chunk subsequently broke the scale and, itself, crumbled into pieces.

Experts must now verify the origins of the finding from Chebarkul Lake, which lies roughly 100 kilometers (62 miles) northwest of the southern Ural town.

The meteorite shower on February 7 over Chelyabinsk - just north of Kazahkstan - left at least 1,200 injured and reportedly damaged a number of buildings. Media reports estimated the shock wave from the meteor was as strong as roughly 20 nuclear bombs.

kms/dr (AFP, AP)