An unconfirmed meteorite collided with the desolate Andean plain Saturday morning. Hundreds of nearby people are having headaches, nausea, and respiratory problems.
Local media and the actual health department are claiming that "toxic" fumes emitted by the meteorite are causing the symptoms.
This is, however, very unlikely. The meteorite itself more than likely would not contain any immediately dangerous material, and it is almost impossible for it to release toxic gas from the Earth; most meteorite impacts are very superficial.
Geophysicists from Peru's Geophysics Institute will be on the scene are will be making a full report around Thursday.
|