When we think of meteors, most of us imagine massive rocks hurtling down from space at terrifying speeds, causing large explosions and significant damage. However, the reality is that we very rarely see meteors fall in cities, as they are more likely to land in remote areas. So why do meteors primarily fall in these secluded locations?
Meteors falling on the desert.
Wild areas, deserts, and dense forests typically have very low or no population density. This significantly decreases the chances of a meteor striking a populated area. In contrast, cities are densely populated and heavily constructed. However, compared to the total surface area of the Earth, the area covered by cities is very small.
One of the most important factors explaining this phenomenon is the atmosphere. Earth’s atmosphere acts as a protective shield, drastically reducing the number of meteors that can reach the surface. As small celestial bodies enter the atmosphere, they experience immense friction, causing them to burn up or explode before hitting the ground. Therefore, the number of meteors large enough to cause damage upon reaching the Earth’s surface is very few.
The atmosphere significantly reduces the number of meteors that can reach the Earth’s surface.
The atmosphere not only minimizes the number of meteors that can reach the ground but also has a significant impact on reducing damage. When a meteor enters the troposphere, where air density is high, it undergoes substantial friction, causing it to ignite or explode. The shockwaves from this explosion disperse the meteor fragments, minimizing the impact on the ground. The atmosphere also slows down meteors, making them less damaging if they do reach the ground.
The probability of a meteor falling anywhere on Earth is very low, and the probability of it falling in cities is even lower. Areas inhabited by humans occupy only about 14% of the Earth’s land surface. This means that the likelihood of a meteor landing in a populated area is extremely small. Furthermore, the majority of Earth’s surface is ocean, accounting for about 71%. This further reduces the chance of meteors striking inhabited areas.
The probability of a meteor falling anywhere on Earth is very low.
Most small meteors will burn up completely upon entering Earth’s atmosphere, causing no significant damage upon landing. Only larger meteors can cause damage when they collide with the Earth’s surface. However, the likelihood of a large meteor striking a densely populated area is not high.
The Northern Hemisphere, which contains many of the world’s most populated regions, including Asia, Europe, and North America, occupies only a small fraction of the Earth’s land area. The Southern Hemisphere, on the other hand, is primarily wild areas and vast oceans. Antarctica, with its harsh weather conditions and ice cover, is nearly uninhabited. The Arctic is also an extreme region unsuitable for human habitation. Thus, the chance of meteors falling in these wild areas is much greater compared to densely populated regions.
Cities are rarely struck by meteors, which is also related to light pollution.
The landing of meteors is actually random. Meteors have no consciousness and are simply rocks falling from space to Earth. After considering the small area of cities in comparison to the total land and ocean area, the probability of a meteor landing in a city becomes very small. While it can happen, the number of meteors falling in populated areas is extremely rare.
The fact is that cities are rarely struck by meteors partly due to light pollution. The bright lights from cities obscure our view of natural phenomena such as shooting stars. Shooting stars are actually small meteors burning up as they enter the atmosphere, creating a dazzling light in the night sky. However, in large cities with bright urban lighting, it is very difficult to observe this phenomenon.
Although the atmosphere plays a crucial role in protecting the Earth, it cannot completely prevent all meteors. Some large meteors can still penetrate this protective layer and cause damage. However, the number of these large meteors is very small compared to the total number of meteors entering the atmosphere each year. Furthermore, these large meteors often have very long cycles of appearance, which can extend to hundreds or thousands of years.
Some large meteors can still penetrate this protective layer and cause damage.
The fact that meteors primarily fall in wild areas is due to a combination of many factors, including the Earth’s surface area, population density, visibility, and the impact of meteors.
Meteors primarily fall in wild areas and rarely in cities due to a combination of factors. The atmosphere plays a significant role in reducing the number of meteors that can reach the ground. The probability of a meteor falling in populated areas is very low, and geographical factors also contribute to diminishing this likelihood. The randomness of landing locations and the influence of the atmosphere make meteor falls into cities exceedingly rare. Therefore, while meteors are a remarkable natural phenomenon, thanks to the atmosphere and other factors, people on Earth have little reason to worry about this risk.
