With today's article, we are launching a new column on the blog, dedicated to potential disaster scenarios for our planet.
The first scenario, as the title suggests, is the fall of a meteorite into the sea. To be more specific, this meteorite would be the size of Manhattan—approximately 21.6 kilometers in length, 3.7 kilometers wide at its broadest point, and narrowing to around 0.8 kilometers at its narrowest, covering a total area of 59.1 square kilometers.
We chose to begin our disaster speculation with the fall of a space rock into the sea because the planet is covered by about 71% water, so if something falls, it’s more likely to land there.
1. Shockwave
The impact would create a shockwave in the atmosphere traveling at speeds many times faster than sound. Any ship or structure near the impact site would be instantly destroyed.
The shockwave would be so powerful that it would generate immense pressure in the atmosphere, flattening coastal areas and killing millions of people within a radius of hundreds of kilometers. Deaths caused by debris from the collision and the sheer force of the pressure would be instantaneous for those nearby.
The shockwave would travel thousands of kilometers over land, destroying everything in its path, from cities to natural areas.
2. Gigantic Tsunamis
Massive amounts of water would be ejected into the atmosphere, creating waves hundreds of meters high, moving at speeds over 800 km/h.
At a distance of 100-300 km from the impact site, the height of the tsunamis would exceed 200-300 meters. The waves could reach continents, destroying coastal cities, infrastructure, and natural ecosystems. Athens, with an elevation of 170 meters, would instantly be submerged in the Mediterranean if the impact occurred somewhere in the Aegean.
The tsunami waves could continue traveling for hours or even days, reaching areas thousands of kilometers away. Coastal regions hit by the tsunamis would experience millions of deaths from drowning, debris, and widespread flooding. Anyone in these areas, within a radius of thousands of kilometers from the impact site, would be at risk.
3. Thermal Radiation
Extreme temperatures would be observed near the impact site, reaching tens of thousands of degrees Celsius! This would result in the immediate boiling of seawater within a radius of several kilometers.
The water would evaporate instantly, creating a steam cloud that could reach the upper atmosphere, releasing immense amounts of energy. Anyone who inhaled or was surrounded by it would be melted by the intense heat.
Fish and other marine species near the impact site would die instantly from the temperatures or from being thrown out of the water.
The heat released would be so intense that it could ignite the oxygen in the atmosphere over a large area around the crater. Anyone who didn’t die from boiling or the scorching atmosphere wouldn’t be able to breathe...
4. Destruction of Marine Ecosystems
The temperature near the impact site would reach levels that would kill every marine organism, from microorganisms to large sea creatures. Phytoplankton, which is responsible for producing 50-80% of the Earth's oxygen, would largely disappear, leading to an immediate reduction in the planet's oxygen levels.
The destruction of the marine environment would have long-term effects, with the possible extinction of many species. The ocean ecosystem would be severely disrupted and could take centuries to recover.
5. Atmospheric Explosion and Pollution
As previously mentioned, the impact would eject massive amounts of seawater, steam, and marine sediments into the atmosphere. This material would rise high and remain in the atmosphere for an extended period.
As a result, solar radiation would be limited, causing global cooling that could last for months or even years. This would have worldwide effects on agriculture and the climate, similar to the "nuclear winter" scenario (which we will discuss in the future).
6. Earthquakes and Volcanic Activity
The energy released would be immense, equivalent to a 9-10 magnitude earthquake or higher, causing devastating tremors and tectonic plate movements on a global scale.
The enormous pressure could trigger volcanic eruptions in various parts of the world, adding even more ash to the atmosphere, along with seismic tremors and destruction in areas that were not directly impacted, further worsening the climatic effects.
7. Global Social and Economic Impacts
Agriculture and the global food chain would also be disrupted due to the reduction in solar radiation from the cloud cover that would blanket the planet. This would lead to mass famines and social instability. The economic consequences would be global, with the collapse of food and energy distribution systems.
Coastal areas would be flooded or completely destroyed, causing the displacement of millions of people and triggering refugee crises on an unprecedented scale.
8. Total Impact Energy
A "Manhattan-sized" meteorite would have energy equivalent to millions of nuclear bombs. The impact would release tens of millions of megatons of energy, surpassing any man-made disaster in history.
Just looking at the flash would be enough to permanently blind someone...
This impact could be compared to the one that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. It took 65-66 million years for the planet to "calm down" for the human species to emerge and for mammals to reach a point of intelligence...
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