Key Takeaways:
- The South Australian Museum has concluded that damage to a car on the Augusta Highway in October was not caused by a meteorite.
- The incident occurred when an object struck the windshield of a Tesla, causing significant damage and a loud explosion.
- Despite initial hopes that the object was a meteorite, scientists were unable to find evidence to support this theory.
- The Australian Space Agency and the Desert Fireball Network did not detect any objects entering the atmosphere at the time of the incident.
- The cause of the damage remains a mystery, with scientists unable to explain why the windshield was reported to be hot.
Introduction to the Incident
The South Australian Museum has concluded its investigation into a mysterious incident in which a car was damaged on the Augusta Highway in October. The car, a Tesla, was being driven by Whyalla vet Andrew Melville-Smith, who reported that an object struck the windshield, causing significant damage and a loud explosion. The incident occurred on October 27, near Port Germein in the state’s mid north. Dr. Melville-Smith described the incident as an "enormous explosion" that caused glass to fly inside the car and white smoke to fill the air.
The Investigation
The South Australian Museum was contacted by Dr. Melville-Smith, who believed that the object that struck his car may have been a meteorite. The museum’s mineralogy and meteorites collection manager, Kieran Meaney, led the investigation, which included analyzing the damaged windshield and searching for debris from the object. However, despite initial hopes that the object was a meteorite, the evidence did not support this theory. Dr. Meaney stated that in science, one should not approach an investigation with a desired outcome, but in this case, the team had hoped to find evidence of a meteorite.
The Evidence
The investigation found that the windshield was damaged, but there was no evidence to suggest that the object that struck it was a meteorite. The scientists had hoped to find debris from the object lodged in the windshield cracks, but no fragments were recovered to test. Additionally, the Australian Space Agency confirmed that it did not detect any objects entering the atmosphere at the time of the incident. The Desert Fireball Network, a network of telescopes that track meteorites and shooting stars, also did not detect anything. Dr. Meaney stated that the team was "at a bit of a loss" to explain why Dr. Melville-Smith reported that the windshield was hot, as a stone getting flicked up off the road would not be very hot.
The Mystery Remains
Despite the investigation, the cause of the damage to Dr. Melville-Smith’s car remains a mystery. Dr. Meaney stated that there are still some details that are unexplained, and it is possible that the team may never get a conclusive answer. The incident highlights the importance of staying curious and reporting unusual events, as sometimes these can lead to significant discoveries. Dr. Meaney encouraged people to continue reaching out to the museum with reports of potential meteorites, as "sometimes these crazy stories do turn out to be true."
Conclusion and Next Steps
The South Australian Museum’s investigation into the incident has concluded, but the mystery of what caused the damage to Dr. Melville-Smith’s car remains. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of scientific inquiry and the need to approach investigations with an open mind. Dr. Meaney stated that the team had spoken to Dr. Melville-Smith since the investigation concluded and encouraged people to stay curious about what could be entering the atmosphere. With the increasing number of satellites in space, it is possible that small pieces of rocket or other debris could be entering the atmosphere, and the museum is keen to investigate any reports of unusual events.
