More Ways For Us All To Die

It appears that the Tunguska meteor impact in 1908 was caused by an asteroid much smaller than previously believed (and much smaller than we're keeping an eye out for...)

Because smaller asteroids approach Earth statistically more frequently than larger ones, he says, “We should be making more efforts at detecting the smaller ones than we have till now.”

The new simulation — which more closely matches the widely known facts of destruction than earlier models — shows that the center of mass of an asteroid exploding above the ground is transported downward at speeds faster than sound. It takes the form of a high-temperature jet of expanding gas called a fireball.

Whoa a "fireball?" Hey, let's lay off the complicated scientific jargon...