On cell phones and the dashboard cameras of cars, so popular here in russia. The blast was so powerful, it knocked down a wall at this factory. In all, over 1,200 people were injured, mostly from broken glass. 3,000 buildings damaged, over a million square feet of glass shattered. Many were injured after going to the window to check out the flash in the sky. The glass shattered and bounced back on me. My beard was cut open, this man says. The meteor was believed to be about 50 feet wide, weighing a whopping 7,700 tons. Thats about the same as the eiffel tower. It raced toward the earth at over 40,000 miles an hour. As it crashed into the atmosphere, it began to break into pieces, causing those booms and sending those powerful shockwaves towards the ground, rocking a zone stretching hundreds of miles away. The shockwaves causing all the damage. As for pieces of the meteor, one of the bigger chunks landed here, leaving that massive hole in the frozen lake. Tonight, about 20,000 Russian T
Its Close Encounter with earth. Overnight in northern california, reports of another possible fire ball captured on amateur video. Separate incidents Scientists Say, but with the same message. I think that the meteor incident in russia is a wakeup call especially when one considers it arrived at the exact same time, the exact same day as the asteroid flyby. So i think that were really becoming very aware that we are in jeopardy from these types of collisions. Reporter aware, but how well is the world prepared . Nasa budgeted 20 million last year to look for objects that may hit the earth but some Scientists Say more money should be spent on detection and ways to avoid a possible collision. Weve gotten very good at finding the big things, the kilometer sized objects. Were working down to smaller objects. But theres many more of the small objects like these than there are of the big ones. Id say the appropriate technology for deflecting a dangerous asteroid could possibly be a nuclear bo
Fans. Racked up nearly 7,000 online fans. Today, february 16, 2013. Captions paid for by Nbcuniversal Television good morning, everyone. Welcome to today on a saturday. Im lester holt. Im erica hill. Boy, the little pig that could. I think its adorable. Yeah. Weve got the little guy with wheels because he, obviously, cant his back legs dont work. Yeah. I dont think anybody will want bacon after seeing this cute guy. I certainly dont. Well have that coming up. Well meet him. This morning, were learning more about what happened aboard the Carnival Cruise ship. Very little of it is good. Passengers are waking up glad to be back on solid ground. The conditions on that ship horrible. Coming up, a look at what rights you have as a passenger when youre on a cruise. Also, the big cleanup has begun now in russia after a space rock exploded there on friday. It happened the same day a different asteroid hit earth. Could the two be related . Well talk to an expert about whats happening in the skie
How a little music may be the best medicine. We tag along with musicians on call as they make their rounds. Good evening. A lot of disturbing questions are being raised tonight about just how vulnerable we are from giant asteroids hurtling through space. After our planet was caught in a sort of cosmic shooting gallery yesterday. If that explosive and damaging strike from a tenton meteor in russia didnt get our attention then maybe the close fly by of a large asteroid several hours later did. Experts say a direct hit on land would have resulted in catastrophic destruction. So whats being done to identify threatening space rocks . More importantly, do we have the means to intercept them before they hit . The answers arent exactly reassuring. Nbcs Michelle Franzen has this report. Reporter shock waves. Today crews in the russian province covered a trail of debris, some 50 acres caused by yesterdays fireball and at a nearby frozen lake searchers collected possible fragments of the meteor.
That is the sound of relief. Good morning, everyone. Im john berman. Good morning, im Brooke Baldwin, live in mobile, alabama. What a morning it is here in alabama for so many thousands of people, soledad is off today. New overnight, 4,229 people slowly making their way home after being stuck on board the cruise ship in the gulf of mexico for five very long days. We will tell you this morning about their nightmare and the horrific conditions they endured on board this boat, triumph, just over my shoulder. Plus an olympic champion breaks down in court. And big development. Blade runner, Oscar Pistorius, charged with premeditated murder. And a meteor shower brings down glass injuring over 500 people. The latest on the fireball from the skies. Live from russia, coming up. A lot going on for you on this friday morning. Friday, february 15th, a special edition of starting point begins right now. Good morning, thank you so much for being with us. The cruise nightmare is nearing ab end this m