Doubts cast over meteorite strike death in India

Indian scientists have expressed doubt that a man in the southern state of Tamil Nadu was the first person to have been confirmed killed by a meteorite strike, as the state’s top official has declared.

The experts said the small crater, the absence of a sonic boom before impact, a lack of debris and the green and blue colour of rock recovered from the scene suggest some other cause.

“It is highly improbable, but we will only be absolutely sure after a chemical analysis,” said V Adimurthy, a senior scientist at India’s space agency.

The mysterious event has triggered an international debate about whether a meteorite, space debris, leftover explosives or even frozen waste from a plane passing overhead may have killed the man.

The meteorite attribution was announced this week by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa Jayaram, a former film star.