News Briefs

Peruvian meteorite causes sickness?

A meteorite crashed in Peru this past weekend, and now over 200 people are claiming to have gotten sick from the fumes that it gave off when it landed. The crater left behind was approximately 65 feet wide and 15 feet deep.

According to a scientist with Peru’s Geological Mining and Metallurgical Institute, the water found in the crater boiled for as long as 10 minutes and might have given off a noxious vapor.

Some of the symptoms included nausea, respiratory problems, and headaches. A team of doctors disagrees with the thought that the meteorite sickened the people based on their analysis of the crash site. Another possibility, according to meteor expert Ursula Marvin, is that the dust raised by the meteorite may be to blame.



New satellite for photographing Earth launched

On Tuesday, a rocket was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California carrying a next-generation satellite that will be used to photograph the planet’s surface.

The satellite has the ability to zoom in on objects as small as 18 inches wide. The owners of the satellite, DigitalGlobe, supply many of the images for Google Earth.

The satellite has the ability to photograph up to 290,000 square miles per day, which is an area about the size of Texas. It is expected to operate for the next 7 years. A similar advanced remote sensing satellite will be ready for launch by the end of 2008.



Man must bury mummified baby

A judge in Concord, NH has ordered Charles Peavy to lay a mummified baby to rest. The baby is a family heirloom and has been passed down through several generations. The only way to prevent the burial is to provide DNA proof that the baby is related to the family. Unfortunately, he can’t afford a DNA test. Peavey believes the stillborn child belonged to a great-great uncle. Tests performed by the state concluded that the baby died of natural causes shortly after birth and said that the remains were over a decade old. Peavey does not intend to appeal the decision.