Tunguska

The purpose of the book is a dual one: to detail the nature and results of Tunguska investigations in the former USSR and present-day CIS, and to destroy two long-standing myths still held in the West. The first concerns alleged “final solutions” that have ostensibly been found in Russia or elsewhere. The second concerns the mistaken belief that there has been little or no progress in understanding the nature of the Tunguska phenomenon. All this is treated by the author in a scholarly and responsible manner. Although the book does present certain unusual findings of Russian and Ukrainian scholars, it is important to stress that this is not a sensational book; it is, rather, a serious exposition of the results of rational investigations into a difficult scientific problem. We are demonstrating the true complexity of the problem that is now entering its second century of existence. Simple meteoritic models cannot explain all the characteristics of this complicated event, and therefore certain so-called “unconventional hypotheses” about the nature of the Tunguska explosion are to be considered as well.

In 1908, thunderous blasts and blazing fires from the sky descended upon the desolate Tunguska territory of Siberia. The explosion knocked down an area of forest larger than London and was powerful enough to obliterate Manhattan. The mysterious nature of the event has prompted a wide array of speculation and investigation, including from those who suspected that aliens from outer space had been involved. In this deeply researched account of the Tunguska explosion and its legacy in Russian society, culture, and the environment, Andy Bruno recounts the intriguing history of the disaster and researchers' attempts to understand it. Taking readers inside the numerous expeditions and investigations that have long occupied scientists, he foregrounds the significance of mystery in environmental history. His engaging and accessible account shows how the explosion has shaped the treatment of the landscape, how uncertainty allowed unusual ideas to enter scientific conversations, and how cosmic disasters have influenced the past and might affect the future.

On 30 June 1908 a mysterious fireball exploded in the Siberian sky and flattened 2,000 square kilometres of the remote Tunguska forest. As no crater and no material from outer space were ever found, a meteorite could not have caused the Tunguska explosion. So what did? This 'grand dame of science mysteries' soon turns 100 but continues to seduce scientists and charlatans alike, all hoping to explain what caused the explosion. The scientists' suspects include a comet, an asteroid, a mini black hole, a rock of antimatter, a mirror matter asteroid, and a methane gas blast from below. X-files-type explanations include an alien spacecraft, a laser beam fired by extraterrestrials in an attempt to communicate with the earthlings, and an early experiment in nuclear physics which got out of hand. Numerous websites, conspiracy theories and sensational TV documentaries on the Fireball abound. In a fast-moving and non-technical narrative The Tunguska Fireball discusses all theories and then analyses the evidence to point an accusing finger at a prime suspect.

At 7.14 a.m on 30 June 1908 a huge fireball exploded in the Siberian sky. A thousand times the force of the hiroshima bomb, it flattened an area of remote Tunguska forest bigger that Greater London, forming a mushroom cloud that almost reached into space. What was it? A century on, and no one knows for sure. Suspects range from comets or mini black holes into the realms of science fiction and conspiracy, a laser beam fired by extra-terrestrials or an early nuclear experiment. This is an exhilarating ride around one of science's gretest mysteries....

This popular science book shares the fascination of the Tungus Event, a major mystery of the 20th century, in a factual and informed way. It provides "on-the-ground" descriptions of the site and explains the findings and the puzzlement of international scientists who have investigated it over the decades. After a brief and readable overview of comets, meteors, the sun and the solar system, the author ponders the range of possible explanations for the "great Siberian meteorite." The research is up to date, factual and scientific. While making no absurd claims to solving the puzzle, the author studies some intriguing clues in NASA's orbit diagrams for Comet Encke, and he is bold in discussing the possible causes of what was the greatest natural explosion in recorded history. As he points out, [Hypotheses] include rogue asteroids, mini black holes and even alien intervention....These explanations are not entirely equal to the facts. In the unique case of the Tunguska event, there was wholesale destruction to the mighty taiga woodlands but none of the debris that one would expect should exist from the body itself. Evidence like a strewn field of meteorite debris or meteoric dust on the trees and ground were never found, nor were any craters, in the area beneath the site of the fireball nor anywhere along the path it took. There are no craters because the Tunguska Cosmic Body (TCB) did not hit the ground. Atmospheric anomalies prior to the dramatic appearance of the fiery body puzzlingly occurred for several days, adding to the enigma. There are just a handful of English-language books on this subject. The most recent, The Tunguska Mystery, by the Russian Rubstov (Astronomers Universe, Springer Science 2009) is authoritative but highly technical and hard going for the general reader. Mr. Engledew instead tells the story in a balanced and engaging style.

In 1908, thunderous blasts and blazing fires from the sky descended upon the desolate Tunguska territory of Siberia. The explosion knocked down an area of forest larger than London and was powerful enough to obliterate Manhattan. The mysterious nature of the event has prompted a wide array of speculation and investigation, including from those who suspected that aliens from outer space had been involved. In this deeply researched account of the Tunguska explosion and its legacy in Russian society, culture, and the environment, Andy Bruno recounts the intriguing history of the disaster and researchers' attempts to understand it. Taking readers inside the numerous expeditions and investigations that have long occupied scientists, he foregrounds the significance of mystery in environmental history. His engaging and accessible account shows how the explosion has shaped the treatment of the landscape, how uncertainty allowed unusual ideas to enter scientific conversations, and how cosmic disasters have influenced the past and might affect the future.

Leading specialists in various disciplines were first invited to a multidisciplinary workshop funded by ICSU on the topic to gain a better appreciation and perspective on the subject of comet/asteroid impacts as viewed by different disciplines. This volume provides a necessary link between various disciplines and comet/asteroid impacts.

*Includes pictures *Includes accounts of the event by eyewitnesses and scientists studying it *Includes a bibliography for further reading "On 30 June 1908, a powerful blast ripped open the sky near the Podkamennaya Tunguska River in Russia and flattened more than 2,000 square kilometers of forest. Eyewitnesses described a large object tearing through the atmosphere and exploding before reaching the ground, sending a wave of intense heat racing across the countryside. At an estimated 3 to 5 megatons of TNT equivalent, it was the biggest impact event in recorded history." - Mark Pelow, author of "Rock samples suggest meteor caused Tunguska blast" When the atomic bombs were used against Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, they ushered in a new era of power so destructive that nuclear weapons have not been used in any combat since then. The pictures of the devastated cities demonstrated the sheer strength of such weapons, and the impact was alarming enough to lead to efforts not only to control the proliferation of such weapons but to denuclearize altogether. It was hard for people to comprehend the power behind nuclear weapons in 1945, but that was due in great measure to the fact that most people were unfamiliar with the Tunguska event, which took place over 35 years earlier in a sparsely populated region of Siberia. On June 30, 1908, an explosion with an epicenter near the Tunguska River flattened an area of about 2,000 square miles, destroying tens of millions of trees and killing countless numbers of wildlife. Miraculously, there were no recorded human casualties as a result of the since named Tunguska event, which generated the energy equivalent of 1,000 of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima. The shockwave alone would have measured 5.0 on the Richter scale. It goes without saying that had the Tunguska event happened in a major metropolitan area, it would've been one of the biggest catastrophes in history, but due to the isolated area and the turbulent affairs in Russia during the World Wars and the Bolshevik Revolution, the event was mostly ignored during the early 20th century, and it is still often overlooked today, even as scientists continue to study it in an attempt to explain what happened. Although conspiracy theories have been proffered (as with other mysterious events), it is widely believed today that the explosion was caused by an asteroid or a comet, but people still continue to debate certain aspects of the blast, and Tunguska is constantly cited as a reason it is necessary to identify and monitor objects in space near Earth. The Tunguska Event chronicles the history and mystery behind the massive explosion, including eyewitness accounts and theories over what caused it. Along with pictures and a bibliography, you will learn about the Tunguska event like never before, in no time at all.