Rare astronomical accident: Meteorite hits woman sipping coffee with a friend

Paris, France

In a rare astronomical accident, a meteorite hit a woman while she was busy enjoying her coffee with a friend in France.

The incredibly rare occurrence was reported from the village of Alsace located in eastern France. According to a report published by the French newspaper Les Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace (DNA), the woman was sitting outside on a terrace and chatting with her friend when a mysterious pebble struck her in the ribs on July 6. 

“I heard a big 'Poom' coming from the roof next to us. In the second that followed, I felt a shock on the ribs. I thought it was an animal, a bat!” said the woman, while speaking to the news outlet. “We thought it was a piece of cement, the one we apply to the ridge tiles. But it didn't have the colour,” she added.

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She stated that the small space rock bounced off the roof and hit her chest, leaving it a bit bruised. The woman, whose identity was not revealed, later took the rock to geologist Dr Thierry Rebmann who examined it and confirmed that it has extra-terrestrial origins.

The geologist stated that a mixture of iron and silicon was inside the meteorite, which is not rare in itself. However, it is extremely rare to see a meteor strike one person.

“Finding a meteor is already uncommon, but to be in direct contact and have it fall on you, that is astronomically rare,” Dr Rebmann stated.

Rare to discover meteors in places like France

He stated that it is even more rare to discover meteors in temperate climate zones like France. In fact, in the 21st century, officials have recorded only five instances of meteorites landing in France.

“It's very rare, in our temperate environments to find them. They merge with other elements. On the other hand, in a desert environment, we can find them more easily,” stated Dr Rebmann, who further recommended that scientists should study the rock to determine its origins.

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The first confirmed case of a person getting hit by a meteorite occurred in the United States almost 70 years ago. The incident involved Ann Hodges of Sylacauga, Alabama who was hit by an 8-pound stony meteorite which crashed through her roof in November 1954. The impact of the meteorite left the woman with severe bruising.

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