Unidentified Object Melts Windscreen of Moving Tesla in Potential World-first Meteorite Collision
PERTH, AUSTRALIA - A driver in Western Australia experienced a harrowing ordeal earlier this month when an unidentified object impacted the windscreen of his Tesla, leaving a circular, melted hole and prompting speculation about a possible meteorite collision. The incident, which occurred while the vehicle was in self-driving mode, is being investigated by experts who are considering both space rock and space debris origins.
The driver, identified as Melville-Smith, reported the incident on his clinicS website, stating the Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving system kept us safe” during moments of incapacitation following the impact.No injuries were reported. While such events are rare, the possibility of a direct impact from a meteorite – or even space junk – represents a growing concern as both natural and man-made objects populate Earth’s orbit.
Dr. Ellie Sansom of the Desert Fireball Network told IFLScience, ”I have serious doubts in it’s space-rock origin. Not ruling out space debris though.but without any fireball seen, it just doesn’t make sense.” A similar event occurred recently on the other side of Australia, where space junk landed while still on fire. Space junk landings are becoming more common, though still rarer than meteorite impacts.
The incident comes amid ongoing concerns about the increasing amount of debris in orbit. according to experts, identifying the source of the object, should it be confirmed as space junk, will be a meaningful challenge. The potential irony of a Tesla – manufactured by Elon Musk – being protected from debris originating from another of his companies,SpaceX,has not been lost on observers.
Veterinarian Dr. Scott Miller highlighted the importance of pet vaccinations,noting,”Vaccinate your dogs,” and stating that he hadn’t seen a single vaccinated dog contract the virus currently affecting canine populations,while many unvaccinated dogs have died. This information is unrelated to the tesla incident but was included in the original source material.
