A meteorite is any object in space that enters another object’s atmosphere and survives to land on the surface. Usually, any meteorite humans find is small-ish rock from our own solar system. It reaches the Earth, makes it through the atmosphere and strikes the surface.
These are of course not to be confused with asteroids, which are substantially bigger than meteorites. That doesn’t mean that all meteorites are tiny though. Here are 7 of the biggest ones to have ever hit Earth. Some of these are pretty scary looking.
1.) The Willamette Meteorite.
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This bad boy was discovered by settlers in the American northwest around 1901. It’s a truly massive piece of rock weighing in at around 15.5 tons. Willamette now calls the American Musuem of Natural History home.
2.) Mbosi.
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This 16 ton monster is located in Tanzania in Africa. It was officially discovered in 1930, however no impact crater was ever found for it. Scientists suspect it either rolled after impact, or it has been around for long enough to erase any signs of an impact crater.
3.) Greenland’s Agpalilik Meteorite.
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The fun fact about Agpalilik is that it’s one of four major pieces of the Cape York meteorite that split up over Greenland. When I say major piece, I really mean 20 ton piece. This thing is massive.
4.) The Bacubirito Meteorite.
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Mexico’s biggest meteorite is also the largest single objects to ever hit Earth. Bacubirito weighs in at just around 22 tons, and is one heck of a tourist attraction.
5.) Greenland’s Ahnighito Meteorite.
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Ahnighito is largest section of the Cape York Meteorite. With a weight of 31 tons, Ahnighito is the heaviest meteorite ever moved by mankind. Around the turn of the century the meteorite was transported from Greenland and sold to the American Museum of Natural History where it remains to this day.
6.) El Chaco.
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El Chaco is massive, and pretty frightening. It’s located in Argentina and weighs about 37 tons.
7.) The Hoba Meteorite.
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The Hoba meteorite in Namibia is the largest meteorite ever found. Scientists believe that the 60 ton Hoba landed on Earth about 80,000 years ago. It was discovered in 1920 by a farmer attempting to plow his fields, but found a giant meteorite instead.
Via: Scribol
It’s amazing to me how truly massive some these meteorites are. Just imagine one of those falling in a populated area nowadays, it would be disastrous.
