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The Cloud That Proved The 1908 Tunguska Explosion Was A Comet
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Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H.
06/26/09

In reply to The Cloud That Proved The 1908 Tunguska Explosion Was A Comet
I thought this was already the accepted theory? Either this is something I read before, or I'm having alien-induced deja vu.
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Elizabeth Weinbloom
06/26/09

In reply to The Cloud That Proved The 1908 Tunguska Explosion Was A Comet
Poor Alex Krycek. Lost your arm for nothing.
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Alessar
06/26/09

In reply to The Cloud That Proved The 1908 Tunguska Explosion Was A Comet
Just because it may have been caused by a "comet" it does not preclude the comet containing a UFO/Mystic Obelisk/Great Old One/Secret Toy Surprise/Chewy Nougat Center/Frozen Alien somewhere within it.
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Purple Dave
06/26/09

@Alessar:
Chewy nougat center in a sno-cone? Bleargh.
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ASquare
06/26/09

In reply to The Cloud That Proved The 1908 Tunguska Explosion Was A Comet
Don't get me wrong, I believe the scientific explanation, but let me just get this straight: the same type of clouds that the space shuttle produces were seen after the Tunguska Blast, and this proves that it wasn't a spacecraft that caused it? I'm failing to see the logic.
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Pope John Peeps II
06/26/09

@ASquare: Any object passing through the atmosphere will make these clouds. And all the OTHER evidence at Tgska points to a comet, so.... occam's razor.
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Bill Farrar
06/26/09

@Pope John Peeps II:

Still doesn't prove anything, just provides secondary evidence to a hypothesis.
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Pope John Peeps II
06/26/09

@Bill Farrar: Well, given that there's no evidence of aliens, and all evidence gathered can point to a comet strike, one naturally assumes that there's a comet strike.

Now, if your life is boring and you need to assume it's aliens, well then go right ahead and assume its aliens. Just don't expect to be taken seriously.
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Purple Dave
06/26/09

@ASquare:
I was thinking the same thing, but I think I've got it figured out now. The Space Shuttle, a non-ice spacecraft, leaves tiny noctilucent clouds in its wake upon reentry. A giant icy comet that has begun to break up would leave massive amounts of the same clouds as it enters the atmosphere (being that all the mass it loses to the entry process is ice crystals, either original or reformed, from all the bits and pieces that are scrubbed off the surface by atmospheric friction). The claim sounds like there were significantly more of these clouds after the impact, and the actual claim appears to be more that they've figured out how a comet could have made the glowing clouds than proof that it was _not_ an alien spacecraft (that's just the io9 spin thrown in to confuse the issue). Specifically, they offer it up as proof that it was a comet (ice) and not a meteorite (metal and rock) that caused the devastation, because only the comet would shed the amount of H20 necessary to produce the distinctive clouds.
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Unprodigy - Unproductive - Unconscionable
06/26/09

@Purple Dave: Actually, it does quite handily prove that there's very little chance of it being a spacecraft. The Space Shuttle leaves these clouds when ascending because ice forms on it as it flies upwards, and a comet can be made largely of ice. An alien spacecraft entering the atmosphere, however, should not have any ice on its surface, much as the Shuttle doesn't on its way back into the atmosphere.
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Purple Dave
06/27/09

@Unprodigy - Unproductive - Unconscionable:
Firstly, hmmm, whoops, the io9 article wasn't clear at all on _when_ the Space Shuttle creates the clouds, and since the comet creates them upon entry I guess I just assumed the Shuttle did on reentry (and the linked article is only slightly clear on that issue).

Secondly, all that proves is that the UFO was covered in Siberian ice when it took off! :D
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GodofMonkeys
06/26/09

In reply to The Cloud That Proved The 1908 Tunguska Explosion Was A Comet
Fools! Tunguska was the first volley by the Comet Empire!

Do not be fooled, my friends! We must prepare! We must arm ourselves!
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crashedpc - Haifisch
06/26/09

@GodofMonkeys: There is no Comet Empire. Come to the back alley for a free cookie.
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Pope John Peeps II
06/26/09

@GodofMonkeys: The Comet Empire is the least productive of all governmental systems.

-We've finally chosen a king. All hail!

*whoooosh. smash*

-Okay, who wants to be king?
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ManchuCandidate
06/26/09

In reply to The Cloud That Proved The 1908 Tunguska Explosion Was A Comet
Does this mean that Fox Mulder, Dale Gribble and all the UFO conspiracy guys are wrong?

My world torn asunder by science and them alien loving science guys. Why are all the good conspiracies destroyed by "facts"?
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crashedpc - Haifisch
06/26/09

@ManchuCandidate: The truly good conspiracies discredit themselves to draw away attention from themselves. Don't mind the sudden appearance of garden gnomes, by the way.
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Unprodigy - Unproductive - Unconscionable
06/26/09

In reply to The Cloud That Proved The 1908 Tunguska Explosion Was A Comet
Preeeeeetty clooooooouds... Oooh...
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Unprodigy - Unproductive - Unconscionable
06/26/09

@Unprodigy: Seriously, we need all our clouds to look like that. That's awesome. Much better than the boring fluffy things we're stuck with for the most part. Someone get on that, quick!
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crashedpc - Haifisch
06/26/09

@Unprodigy: Sure, just, uh, watch your head and mind the incoming space rocks.
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Pope John Peeps II
06/26/09

@Unprodigy - Unproductive - Unconscionable: Well, if humanity every ends up spreading different particles in parts of the upper atmosphere to reflect solar radiation away from teh planet, we all gets a free permanent light show!
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