A meteor that exploded over Russia's Ural mountains and sent burning to earth has set off a rush to find fragments of the space rock which hunters hope could fetch thousands of dollars a piece.
A
meteor
that
exploded
over
Russia
's
Ural
mountains
and
sent
burning
to
earth
has
set
off
a
rush
to
find
fragments
of
the
space
rock
which
hunters
hope
could
fetch
thousands
of
dollars
a
piece
.
Friday's explosion and following shockwave shattered windows, injured almost 1200 people and caused about $33 million worth of damage, said local authorities.
Friday
's
explosion
and
following
shockwave
shattered
windows
,
injured
almost
1200
people
and
caused
about
$
33
million
worth
of
damage
,
said
local
authorities
.
It also started a "meteorite rush" around the industrial city of Chelyabinsk, where groups of people have started combing through the snow and ice.
It
also
started
a
``
meteorite
rush
''
around
the
industrial
city
of
Chelyabinsk
,
where
groups
of
people
have
started
combing
through
the
snow
and
ice
.
"The price is hard to say yet ...
``
The
price
is
hard
to
say
yet
...
The fewer meteorites that are discovered, the higher their price is."
The
fewer
meteorites
that
are
discovered
,
the
higher
their
price
is
.
''
Said Dmitry Kachkalin, a member of the Russian Society of Amateur Meteorite Lovers.
Said
Dmitry
Kachkalin
,
a
member
of
the
Russian
Society
of
Amateur
Meteorite
Lovers
.
Meteorites are parts of a meteor that have fallen to earth.
Meteorites
are
parts
of
a
meteor
that
have
fallen
to
earth
.
Scientists at the Urals Federal University were the first to announce a significant find-53 small, stony, black objects around Lake Chebarkul, near Chelyabinsk, which tests confirmed were small meteorites.
Scientists
at
the
Urals
Federal
University
were
the
first
to
announce
a
significant
find-53
small
,
stony
,
black
objects
around
Lake
Chebarkul
,
near
Chelyabinsk
,
which
tests
confirmed
were
small
meteorites
.
The fragments were only 0.5 to 1 cm across but the scientists said larger pieces may have crashed into the lake, where a crater in the ice about eight metres wide opened up after Friday's explosion.
The
fragments
were
only
0.5
to
1
cm
across
but
the
scientists
said
larger
pieces
may
have
crashed
into
the
lake
,
where
a
crater
in
the
ice
about
eight
metres
wide
opened
up
after
Friday
's
explosion
.
"We just completed tests and confirm that the pieces of matter found by our experts around Lake Chebarkul are really meteorites."
``
We
just
completed
tests
and
confirm
that
the
pieces
of
matter
found
by
our
experts
around
Lake
Chebarkul
are
really
meteorites
.
''
said Viktor Grokhovsky, a scientist with the Urals Federal University and the Russian Academy of Sciences.
said
Viktor
Grokhovsky
,
a
scientist
with
the
Urals
Federal
University
and
the
Russian
Academy
of
Sciences
.
Many other people were in the area just hoping to find a meteorite after what was described by scientists as a once-in-a-century event.
Many
other
people
were
in
the
area
just
hoping
to
find
a
meteorite
after
what
was
described
by
scientists
as
a
once-in-a-century
event
.
Residents of a village near Chelyabinsk searched the snowy streets, collecting stones they hoped prove to be the real thing.
Residents
of
a
village
near
Chelyabinsk
searched
the
snowy
streets
,
collecting
stones
they
hoped
prove
to
be
the
real
thing
.
But not all were ready to sell.
But
not
all
were
ready
to
sell
.
"I will keep it.
``
I
will
keep
it
.
Why sell it?
Why
sell
it
?
I didn't have a rich lifestyle before, so why start now?"
I
did
n't
have
a
rich
lifestyle
before
,
so
why
start
now
?
''
a woman in a woollen hat and winter jacket, clutching a small black pebble, told state television.
a
woman
in
a
woollen
hat
and
winter
jacket
,
clutching
a
small
black
pebble
,
told
state
television
.
The Internet was filled quickly with advertisements from eager hunters hoping to sell what they said were meteorites - some for as little as 1,000 roubles ($33.18).
The
Internet
was
filled
quickly
with
advertisements
from
eager
hunters
hoping
to
sell
what
they
said
were
meteorites
-
some
for
as
little
as
1,000
roubles
(
$
33.18
)
.
One seller of a large, silver-hued rock wrote in an advertisement: "Selling an unusual rock.
One
seller
of
a
large
,
silver-hued
rock
wrote
in
an
advertisement
:
``
Selling
an
unusual
rock
.
It may be a piece of meteorite.
It
may
be
a
piece
of
meteorite
.
It may be a bit of a UFO.
It
may
be
a
bit
of
a
UFO
.
It may be a piece of a rocket!"
It
may
be
a
piece
of
a
rocket
!
''
A meteor that exploded over Russia's Ural mountains and sent burning to earth has set off a rush to find fragments of the space rock which hunters hope could fetch thousands of dollars a piece.  Friday's explosion and following shockwave shattered windows, injured almost 1200 people and caused about $33 million worth of damage, said local authorities.  It also started a "meteorite rush" around the industrial city of Chelyabinsk, where groups of people have started combing through the snow and ice.  "The price is hard to say yet ... The fewer meteorites that are discovered, the higher their price is." Said Dmitry Kachkalin, a member of the Russian Society of Amateur Meteorite Lovers.  Meteorites are parts of a meteor that have fallen to earth.  Scientists at the Urals Federal University were the first to announce a significant find-53 small, stony, black objects around Lake Chebarkul, near Chelyabinsk, which tests confirmed were small meteorites.  The fragments were only 0.5 to 1 cm across but the scientists said larger pieces may have crashed into the lake, where a crater in the ice about eight metres wide opened up after Friday's explosion.  "We just completed tests and confirm that the pieces of matter found by our experts around Lake Chebarkul are really meteorites." said Viktor Grokhovsky, a scientist with the Urals Federal University and the Russian Academy of Sciences.  Many other people were in the area just hoping to find a meteorite after what was described by scientists as a once-in-a-century event.  Residents of a village near Chelyabinsk searched the snowy streets, collecting stones they hoped prove to be the real thing. But not all were ready to sell.  "I will keep it. Why sell it? I didn't have a rich lifestyle before, so why start now?" a woman in a woollen hat and winter jacket, clutching a small black pebble, told state television.  The Internet was filled quickly with advertisements from eager hunters hoping to sell what they said were meteorites - some for as little as 1,000 roubles ($33.18).  One seller of a large, silver-hued rock wrote in an advertisement: "Selling an unusual rock. It may be a piece of meteorite. It may be a bit of a UFO. It may be a piece of a rocket!"