Yesterday's spectacular meteor explosion over Russia and the near miss of a sizable asteroid (which passed closer to Earth than our communication satellites) were reminders that we live in an active and potentially dangerous Universe. Like the tragic tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and superstorms of the past few decades, they confirm the fact that the evolution of our planet did not end when humans appeared.
While the meteor and asteroid were unrelated, their arrival on the same day had a significant impact on the complacency of human society, forcing us to face threats over which we have little control and, in the case of small meteors, no warning. Indeed, the Earth impacts tons of meteor-producing debris every day (left behind by comets and asteroids) though most meteors burn up in the the atmosphere before reaching the surface of our planet. Fortunately, impacts from large asteroids, like the eruption of supervolcanoes, are rare events (even from the perspective of geologic history) but, when they do occur, they threaten all life on Earth, including human civilization.
Fortunately, the meteor explosion over Russia did not result in any fatalities (based on initial reports). Nevertheless, it traumatized local residents and, via the power of international communication, sent shock waves across the globe. On the positive side, this cosmic missile provided a jolt of reality, a clear message that we are not a chosen species; in other words, we are not immune from sudden annihilation.
