Tunguska: When the Sky Fell to Earth

Siberia, Russia, 30th of June 1908. We are in a woodland area surrounding the Tunguska river, not far from modern day Krasnoyarsk. Simply known as Tunguska. One of the most desolate areas of the most desolate region of the Russian Empire.
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Credits:
Host - Simon Whistler
Author - Arnaldo Teodorani
Producer - Jennifer Da Silva
Executive Producer - Shell Harris
Business inquiries to [e-mail]

[@geographicstravel]

Have you checked out my latest channel Business Blaze? It's interesting business stories with a dose of ridiculousness thrown in. Check it out here: kzbin.info/door/YY5GWf7MHFJ6DZeHreoXgw

[@GOLEG11]

It was Tesla and Einstein researching, such as Philadelphia experiment using various scalar beams ... That was concluded by USNavy

[@captspaulding8530]

Is it possible to have a meteor made up of ice and metals and stone?

[@jediknight2627]

Simon Whistler. King of multi tasking. You have so many channels lol. How do you do it? Love it all either way!

[@thesenate5291]

I prefer the Resistance: Games theory behind Tunguska as explained by the Fictional Doctor Malikov

[@trevorp1013]

This guy talks like Bryan Callen in disguise 😂

[@fisher9841]

This guy is on so many different channels he's essentially the last vestige of the British Empire

[@TacDyne]

He is the British empire! ... oh wait... he isn't wearing a turban. Nevermind.

[@fisher9841]

​@@TacDyne What on earth possessed you to spread xenophobic bullshit in the youtube replies to a bad joke

[@fisher9841]

@@PorWik Read that shit too

[@stephenhancock1578]

The sun never sets on the infographics empire.

[@HalkerVeil]

"Emp Aahh"

[@j.f2347]

In russia space explore you

[@geographicstravel]

Best comment I've read all day.

[@GraveUypo]

that's actually clever use of the meme for a change.

[@stupidtreehugger]

@@geographicstravel (aka VSauce?), thank you for your generally interesting and thorough content. BTW, the British pronounciation of schedule is schedule; 'skedule' is the US.

[@colinellis8661]

@@geographicstravelSorry but I just cannot listen to this man.

[@moritamikamikara3879]

@Wasabi Warrior Because we've seen solar flares and coronal mass ejections in the past and they've never caused anything this exaggerated. Big EM pulse, electrocute a few telegraph operators and fry lines of communication for a few weeks, but no massive explosions or anything similar.

[@scoreboardntlie]

The fact that humans have been keeping records for a couple thousand years and there hasn't been a single meteor impact in a populated area still astounds me to this day

[@thatoneguy3253]

Thank Jupiter, also the dinosaurs would like a word with you.

[@razorfett147]

When you start studying geography you realize just how widely scattered our major population centers are compared to the total surface area of the planet. That means that, even today, the odds of a heavily populated area taking a direct hit from an incoming object are pretty low. Before the 20th century it would've been even lower.

[@cherokee43v6]

Dunno... If you read the descriptions of what happened at Sodom and Gomorrah in the Bible...

[@SenileOtaku]

Although it would be interesting to find one related to the Late Bronze Age Collapse (a small scale impact prompting a forced migration, or cutting off some critical piece of international trade).

[@gonky1847]

maybe it did happen but there was nothing left to be recorded

[@JusticeNotServed]

The craziest and EXTREMELY fortunate aspect of this is that it happened in such a remote area versus a much more populated area.

[@sanswithoutsans]

Even in 1908 there were few places left on Earth (excluding ocean) where it could of caused as little damage as it did.

[@c.o.7508]

Exactly, the UFO scientists didn’t want to hurt humanity. Excellent observation! Read beyond the light barrier pag 122

[@mccleandazza4618]

Yeah almost like a test site eh ...thar wasnt a meteor

[@Aatell764]

Interestingly enough an ancient city was destroyed by an air burst meteor. They believe it was the city of Sodom, a city in the Bible that God destroyed with fire from the sky.

[@Mrbfgray]

That describes most of Earth. 70% chance it happens over the ocean.

[@davidwoodward9528]

Theory: Aliens declared war on spruce trees.

[@josephstubbs5254]

Hey if the space overlords say we can't have trees then I guess we can't have trees

[@thertis580]

Makes a change from pinching people's pooches. Aliens have such strange aspirations.

[@merrittanimation7721]

NOT SO TALL NOW YOU ARBOREAL FREAKS!

[@seanpeacock4290]

the aliens are dwarves who have declared war on their mortal enemies, trees.

[@merrittanimation7721]

@@seanpeacock4290 Is that an Order of the Stick reference?

[@sada1504]

"Nothing paranormal happened at Tunguska" "There is no war in Ba Sing Se"

[@milothaloser1443]

The accuracy!!

[@alexanderheaphy1321]

Ayyye avatar the last Airbender. Aang was my 2nd favorite uncle Iroh was my all time favorite followed by zuko

[@starpowerbrax1376]

"Nothing happened at Tiananmam Square in 1989"

[@yourmomwards1951]

... This is not part of the events of the sixth seal referred to in the book of revelations ... Yeah, probably is though.

[@Rickyrab]

Nothing of note happened in downtown Manhattan in September of 2001.

[@agentcoxack7368]

I love the idea of Tesla cocking around with his tower and a chunk of Russia just flattens in the background

[@ringonor4298]

Best comment today 👌

[@falcorusticolus4360]

I did a report on this for my high school astronomy class. I found it both fascinating and scary when you think that an event like this could happen at any time, anywhere in the world.

[@Broomer52]

NASA is keeping track of a concerningly big Asteroid heading towards the Earth. They suspect if it does end up hitting the planet it wouldn’t reach us for another 20 years

[@richardcoram1562]

I do think something like that has happened in the past many great civilizations have come and gone in earths ancient past. There's several sites around the world where archaeologists find melted sand and building stones melted and scorched from very high temperatures, like a nuclear bomb or Atomic bomb blast would've produced.

[@borregoayudando1481]

i heard a discussion on NPR yesterday about the possibility that this was a tiny black hole that hit earth and went straight through the earth

[@captnwebb4669]

It's a bloody good job this didn't happen in the atomic age.

[@astrothunder3580]

bloody indeed!!

[@JoDyMa]

Thats a pretty explosive statement

[@flounder2760]

man the effects of such an event would radiate out across the world.

[@matthiasmielonen8473]

ooooh dear, that would be.... a big problem

[@hugosinclair6798]

damnit bert, we weren't supposed to launch that bomb until 1950

[@HansLemurson]

17:50 "What if this tragedy caused people to set aside their differences and work together for the common good of humanity? Well that's enough science fiction for now."

[@claraht.6999]

For the common good of ETERNITY.

[@MrDarkoKos]

this is the same reason trump and nixon gave for making a space army

[@perrygriffin2371]

New world order ?

[@TheOfficial007]

You guys should watch some acecombat. That's a take on what would happen.

[@azzzanadra]

i am pretty sure that's how it was throughout human history, uniting to stand against something that can cause mutual destruction is a common theme in human history.

[@ernestolombardo5811]

Simon touched on something very important for those of us who first heard about this in the 1970s: the air of mystery, invoking anti-matter, mini black holes, aliens. All due to the secrecy of the Soviet Union, which I'd never considered in this specific case until now.

[@brt288]

My great-grandmother was a little girl in 1908 and was working in her mother's garden about 200 km away when this happened. She saw it go past, then she saw the explosion, then the blast wave went by.

[@whitty0033]

*gigantic explosion that can't be explained happens* Some Russian: oy blyat

[@Arirezz]

Cyka blyat

[@vr6swp]

O Pah

[@portable_rat]

@PlebzOr Blapparapp why do you care so much? It'll eventually be phased out anyway

[@SendirianAja]

@PlebzOr Blapparapp tbh, i've never found this joke anywhere else

[@iliketurtles5180]

@IFunny Watermark comedy

[@claudialomeli4048]

"Tesla did an oopsie." I love you guys.

[@arthas640]

This does seem like sometime Tesla would do in his spare time. develop a machine that can level a small forest in 12 seconds without having to muck about with saws and axes. He probably gave up when he realized it would vaporize entire reindeer herds

[@rhov-anion]

My old roommate thoroughly believed it was Tesla. The History Channel told him so.

[@ATSucks1]

And that's why the military confiscated all of his notes upon his death. Fun fact some company in texas has built a new tesla tower in central Texas , people can see it from I35. It wasn't supposed to be a death ray , it was supposed to deliver electricity wirelessly ... which is also why Rockefeller withdrew funding because while AC current was clearly the future he had just bought ever copper mine on earth that he could so that all electricity would be delivered on his lines... he stood to lose his fortune with wireless transmission. Tesla tried to prove work, he didn't account for the differnt magnetic intensity at the poles. How could he know? It was unexplored. Opps.

[@Katherine_The_Okay]

@@arthas640 It was probably the harm it did to the pigeons that made him realize it wasn't something he wanted to muck around with.

[@maggiemae7749]

He opened a portal. He also opened a portal in Colorado

[@tromhtaed4532]

Here for some lore into the FGO Tunguska event

[@tomacana]

One of my first introductions to the Tunguska event had the reports of the fireball making a turn and crashed . This was in part suggested as an alien craft. Move forward to the meteorite that was filmed in Russia we saw that the meteorite was coming toward the camera and seemed to turn to the left and exploded. It was perspective due a fast moving object coming toward the viewer but it was always approaching at at oblique angle. When can be assured this is what saw in Tunguska.

[@dundonrl]

I've read that as well.

[@americanwelder9865]

I remember a theory about this event. It suggested that a black hole hit the area.😂 Highly unlikely for sure. That and the alien craft theories are 2 of the most outlandish I have heard.

[@user-io9ie5cs8j]

​@@americanwelder9865 I put up a comment a moment ago that I'm quite sure You will enjoy. The one with Yoda 😮 yeah I friggin went there

[@herrgodfrey9563]

The thought of "Tesla doing an oopsie" has got to be one of the most terrifying prospects ever.

[@ekramer2478]

OMG I know.

[@christiancamaro5263]

Isn't there an SCP based on a Tesla doing an opsie on the entire universe.

[@fredgiarraputo7189]

Checkout Nicola tesla weapon

[@weedypop9032]

@@fredgiarraputo7189 who is he?

[@Rookie64v]

@@weedypop9032 Nikola Tesla was the stereotypical mad scientist from pop culture, a Serb (I think, somewhere in the Balkans anyway) living in the US in the late 1800's-early 1900's. His best known invention is alternating current (what powers homes and industries across the world), however he had a few totally bonkers projects and eventually went bankrupt. Nowadays some conspiracy theorists say he managed to "invent free wireless energy" and that this wonder was shutdown by occult powers for profit or whatever, but known physics say that particular thing is totally impossible and Tesla was, indeed, mostly bonkers. All of this was off the top of my head and Wikipedia is probably your friend to get additional information and double-check what I said. Knowing the type of guy he was he probably had plans for a death ray or lightning conjuration system or something of the sort, would fit the bill.

[@LGSmith_3]

Me finding an entirely new Simon channel: Psychiatrist: what do you see? Me: Simon... Simon is everywhere I look.

[@LGSmith_3]

Im honeslty shocked at how many scripts you must read a day.

[@geographicstravel]

It's quite a few!

[@LGSmith_3]

@@geographicstravel well, I truly admire you and your teams work. You guys should let the world get to know you all more. Seem to be decent and funny folk.

[@randallpetroelje3913]

Yes- I see him too. I’m haunted by the glasses, subject matter and intelligence.😂

[@YayaBunWa]

As a “Simon”, this pleases me.

[@emmamerritt6730]

Ever since i found geographic and biographics i’ve done nothing but binge all the videos. simon’s voice is so soothing to listen to as i do a puzzle or crocheting. keep the videos coming I can’t get enough of them!

[@hotpocketoverlord7800]

i listen to these at work. great thing to pass time

[@inlonging]

@@hotpocketoverlord7800 I’m a sahm but same, listening to history and science docs keeps my mind occupied through the more mindless tasks

[@NightMystique13]

Me too, as I embroider.😊

[@dominichirst4518]

I always remember the date of the Tunguska Blast as it is mentioned in the Ghostbusters movie “Tunguska blast of 1908” although I believe they state it as an inter-dimensional cross rip. That reminds me, I need to introduce my boys to Ghostbusters, what a film!

[@kravenraven3986]

When I was a teenager my theory was that the strange blast was Rasputin arriving in this plane of existence...

[@wellthen.......9384]

Even I knew the year rasputin was born he was born in 1869 and he died in 1916 so he was alive currently in 1905 when the blast happened

[@cubiusblockus3973]

my theory was a bunch of tsarist scientists were creating a nuclear bomb and not expecting a big explosion, set it of and ended killing themselves in the process, setting back the nuclear age by 40 years.

[@vulpes7079]

@@wellthen.......9384 he was alive, yes. But not in our dimension (if this theory is true)

[@Mister_Kourkoutas]

Imagine as the blast levels all those trees, you hear not an apocalyptic explosion but the sound of . . . RA-RA-RASPUTIN LOVER OF THE RUSSIAN QUEEEEEN!

[@modernarchive7502]

What is your theory now?

[@adambartlett7955]

fun fact: at ground zero for the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima, the building that is now a memorial, withstood the air blast when the bomb detonated above it. This is due to the direction of the force exerted on the building, traveling straight down its supports (so vertically). However outside that central radius of ground zero, the force applied to those buildings were more diagonal or even perpendicular to the supports. Those buildings had practically no chance of withstanding the sweeping blast.

[@johnjones928]

An experiment was done decades ago to explain what happened, I believe it was in the late 50s. The researchers used match sticks for trees set up on a scaled topographic model. They put a explosive charge on a guy wire set at the angle of flight and set it off at the calculated speed and height of the explosion. They not only reproduced the pattern of tree fall with the one's at the center still erect, but also the butterfly shape of the area of devastation.

[@iraniansuperhacker4382]

nah it was aliens dude... tesla was shooting his death ray and it like hit the aliens and both the death ray ball and the aliens fell to the ground and blew up.

[@DawnDavidson]

@@iraniansuperhacker4382😂😂😂

[@planetmaker3472]

​@naturalcreature6317they recreated the event and where proven right

[@phizc]

One fun thing about the Chelyabinsk incident is that we knew about a *different* asteroid that would pass very close to the Earth that day. The asteroid 367943 Duende was known since Feb. 2012. It passed at a distance of 27700 km at 19:25 UT, about 16 hours after the bolide at Chelyabinsk.

[@rejvaik00]

*Tunguska meteor:* _"I'm going to do a great deal of death to mankind"_ *Earth's atmosphere:* _"Are you sure about that?_

[@One_Gun_Salute]

Earth's Atmosphere ~ "...and so I took that personally."

[@ernestolombardo5811]

*Siberia:* _"Come @ me bro...! Everybody else CHILL! He's barely gonna leave a scratch on me."_

[@burakbodur5605]

It was saitama actually

[@TeddyKrimsony]

our atmosphere is like a force field

[@genericfilmmaker6339]

Ironically the atmosphere is what made the explosion so unexplainably powerful. That's a fun thought.

[@fubuh8r]

The Tsar Bomba was so powerful, the blast wave went back into time.

[@boratsagdiyev5679]

That even sounds possible considering how ridiculously massive that thing was 😄

[@raulalva214]

@@boratsagdiyev5679 it does lol

[@kyriakosbagatelas9604]

@@boratsagdiyev5679 9 0

[@boratsagdiyev5679]

@@kyriakosbagatelas9604 2 8 7

[@W47689]

1 5 8

[@Gregnier]

HAHAHAHAHAHA... The Captions for "nothing paranormal happened at Tunguska" section are hilarious. Thanks for adding that Easter egg!

[@JFrazer4303]

Chelyabinsk was at least 300 kt, possibly 500. It had already passed its closest approach and was on its way out. It had passed its closest approach to the city. They got very lucky. Nearly 1200 people were medically treated, most for flying or falling debris. It was probably of the "Apollo" grouping, and we know of 10k+ such bodies, most much larger. Something as small as the Chelyabinsk body at~15 meters, is highly unlikely to be spotted, though we routinely see such bodies *after* they've made closest approach. Maybe chunks of the body at Tunguska exist, a crater for a 1 meter chunk (such as is seen in photos after being brought up from a lake near Chelyabinsk) might not be found in a hasty, incomplete examination 19 years later, might be indistinguishable after 70 years. The body they brought up was denser with metals than the Earth's crust. Some meteorites are density 8+, greater than pure iron. King Tutt's rust-proof meteoritic steel dagger is 6% cobalt. A larger comet body of ices, might hit at much greater than 15km/sec, possibly as much as 50 km/sec. The blast energy would be furious, and nothing but tiny fragments of any silicate materials would reach the ground. In his book "Rain of Iron and Ice", John S. Lewis reported a couple of interesting cases. In ancient China, an army was marching and camped near a river. Out of a partly clear blue sky, a bright flash blinded anyone facing it for miles, flash-burned like a sunburn anything with a half mile or so. A titanic blast like thunder flattened everything outwards for half a mile or so, smashed anything directly underneath which was already crisped from the flash, Everything nearby was smote with chunks of red-hot metal and rock. A dark cloud of smoke hung over the area, and a sulphurous stench lingered. Of course since no duly qualified scientist examined the evidence for a rocky/metallic meteorite airburst, it is generally not known of as a case of such an incident. Another case also in China in recent years was when a bolide was seen. Silent and bright at first high up to witnesses up-range. Closer and lower, darker reddish and trailing smoke farther down range. Dull reddish and very smoky, with a sound like a freight train and crackling like thunder further downrange. It was lower and much quieter, less smoky and slower and more nearly vertical downrange. People nearby heard and felt the *thump* through the ground. Witnesses found a brush fire had been started, at the center a smoking hole. At the bottom, about 30cm across, a hot dark lump. As they put out the fire and were digging it out, it cooled rapidly; by the time they had it excavated and were bringing it up, it grew cooler and colder, finally ice cold, and then too cold to handle. A large cooler and some dry ice were found and it was packed away to a university science center. Such fragments of cometary bodies or extremely low density CC asteroids have a little rock or metal, but can be 40% volatiles by mass: H2O, Co2, CH4, NH3. Lots of stinky stuff like various ethanes, ketones, aldehydes, and PAH chemicals. Lots of dark almost organic tarry stuff, almost coal black, slightly reddish with tholins.

[@mahadaalvi]

Fukushima, Area 51, Pompeii, Catacombs and this?! This channel is coming in guns blazing🔥👀

[@razorransom1795]

It's missing Campaii Fregeri it's modern activity and ancient, sinking two cities Thonis and Baeie 8th century, and Calli Albani and some other interesting things that have been popping up lately.

[@Vsure420]

Agreed I love it!

[@serbronnoftheblackwater798]

Rocks just don't blow up. They disintegrate and break up.. But not explode. That's ridiculous.

[@TheGreatPurpleFerret]

@@serbronnoftheblackwater798 kzbin.info/www/bejne/gIuXeImZbZ2dirc depends on your definition of explode. Rapid Unplanned Disassembly can occur due to superheated water expanding and shattering the rock leaving just fragments. The meteor would have been hot enough to melt the rock itself let alone ices.

[@jacquelinelaface136]

@@razorransom1795 he has one on Thonis...i watched it yesterday

[@dwingfield8949]

The meteor theory seems sound, but how about this : Tesla deflected and broke the meteor up with his death ray, thus saving thousands of lives!

[@scottgibson6735]

the biggest problem with the meteor theory,is eyewitnesses on the ground reported seeing the object maneuver.Meteors follow a strictly ballistic trajectory.There’s also the mysterious illness that befell a number of the indigenous Tungus people.From the descriptions of the sick,it sounds like radiation poisoning.When all the evidence is taken as a whole,it suggests the explosion was caused by a mishap aboard a nuclear powered craft of extraterrestrial origin.For a while that was the official theory of the Soviet Union.

[@mancamiatipoola]

Even Tesla, the allmighty misterious scientist could not target an object traveling at 15m/s. We can barely do that today...

[@SuperMonkei]

@@mancamiatipoola Tesla did it, prove me wrong.

[@SlavicBoi]

@@SuperMonkei Tesla didn't do it, prove me wrong.

[@byteresistor]

@@scottgibson6735 Eyewitness testimony is one of the most unreliable sources of "evidence". No problem there.

[@youngrumandcoke]

Can you imagine if the Tunguska meteor strike happened during the cold war? When everyone was on edge and jumpy waiting for first strike. 😳

[@djsherz]

"You have been a participant in the biggest interdimensional cross-rip since the Tunguska blast of 1909!"

[@robertstuart480]

Sounds great.

[@HistoryisAwesome163]

Came here looking for Ghostbusters references..not disappointed

[@mathewsultan9686]

I think between all of their channels on KZbin, The team of Simon, Shell, and their writers have some of the best content.

[@danielsauder9570]

Agreed, together with knowing better

[@badger297]

Agreed

[@goldwein]

What is Shell channel?

[@Vsure420]

@@goldwein Shell is a producer! And who usually posts the community posts, polls and such.

[@Vsure420]

Agreed I spend a lovely part of my day watching Simon.

[@donmorgan5414]

Imagine if this has happened 50 years later during the cold War...

[@nathandamaren2093]

Satellites would have picked it up. If no satellites then hopefully some one does a spectroscopy of the fallout to determine whether the blast was nuclear or not. If no one checks the ussr may be confused as to why america would strike a uninhabited part of the ussr to drop "only one" nuke on, instead of dropping numerous warheads on strategic military/civilian targets. Final scenario would see russia launch a perceived counter strike against America leading to a hot ww3.

[@GaryR55]

We'd still be arguing that the CIA did it.

[@marcustulliuscicero5443]

Imagine if this happened 5 hours later and came down right in the middle of Europe.

[@chiarosuburekeni9325]

This is what's so scary. Like how utterly random the whole event was. Like the same thing could start rocketing towards Tokyo, London, Los Angeles right now in 2021 and there's nothing we could do about it. Even the contemporary scientists in this video were like "Hehe we're monitoring things to get a better understanding lul" dude we'd be so screwed

[@DrZootie]

We'd all be playing harps or balalaikas, as the case may be.

[@joshuayork2231]

I love his technique of looking from the right to the left and back again to disguise the fact that he’s reading.

[@hudsonball4702]

I remember a few of years ago, watching an episode of "What on Earth" Where they showed a picture of a bright streak of clouds with a bright flash of light at the head of them in the northern pacific. IT was obviously an asteroid streak, but the kicker is that it was GIGANTIC. Some estimates put the asteroid at about the size of the one from Tunguska. Since it happened in the Northern Pacific where NO ONE lives (even shipping lanes are sparse) no one was hurt, but there were sparse reports of loud gunfire like sounds from a few ships in the area. So either we were unlucky (or lucky however you see it since they both missed populated areas) to have had two large asteroids like this airblast on Earth in roughly 100 years instead of the Millennia estimates, or one of these type of airblast events happens more often that once a millennia.

[@richardbidinger2577]

The description of this event was terrifying enough, can you imagine what the impact was like that took out the dinosaurs.

[@jliller]

"The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World" by Stephen Brusatte describes exactly that.

[@claraht.6999]

People weren't flesh yet. The katabole.

[@stevekirkham5193]

Horrible. Also, the dino killer was rock, and it's crater has been found. It's huge. Paleontolologists have described the area as being like turning your oven on broil and sticking your head in. The dividing line is seen in digs all over the world with as a layer of charcoal from the planet wide forest fires. It was hell.

[@theprfesssor]

Much much worse, The KT impact makes the Tunguska event look like a fire cracker, that rock was the szie of a mountain coming in and smashing the earth so hard that it effected the whole Earth ( even the rotation and axial tilt is thought to have been affected) it left a fingerprint around the whole planet called the KT boundary, below this is where we find all the dinosaur fossil's none have ever been found above and the impact was likely so ridiculous it wouldn't matter where you were you would have felt the whole Earth tremble The worst part is because of the size of the asteroid it was most likely visible to the naked eye for months before impact, slowly becoming a larger and brighter star in the sky until it was so birght it could be seen during the day, so all the life on Earth with eyes could see it coming with our current technology we would see such a asteroid decades in advance now if we could do anything about it is another story

[@3PercentNeanderhal]

Now imagine the fact that the dino killer asteroid isn't the biggest to ever crash into the Earth.

[@digapygmy70]

Only history nerds see the word "Tunguska" and exclaim "Yeeeesss!" Absolutely loving this channel!

[@mariagabriela_bia]

digapygmy70 I did the same!

[@beckylipps7286]

digapygmy70 it never hurts to feed ones mind! Keeps us intellectually sharp!

[@elizabethsullivan7176]

History nerd here 😊 Tunguska has been one of my favourite "mysteries" for years.

[@joemontano71]

Another history nerd here! I’ve been fascinated with Tunguska ever since reading about it in one of Carl Sagan‘s books.

[@RictusHolloweye]

Also Ghostbusters fans... Stanz: You have been part of the biggest interdimensional cross rip since the Tunguska blast of 1909 Louise: Sounds great.

[@BarbaraRademacher]

You are terrific - very entertaining as you consider events that really happened. I just subscribed. Gimme more!

[@user-nk6xn7cs6u]

Super informative! I’ve been interested in this and you literally answered questions I didn’t know I had yet!

[@JohnSmith-kz8yo]

a little baby named Kal-El lands on Earth in a rocket...

[@chrissiek8706]

Imagine Superman, raised by some babushka i dedushka in Siberian taiga... Wait, i think that's partly Red Son mini series 😅

[@MAGGOT_VOMIT]

_I'm still disturbed after almost 40yrs, that Superman would smile while saying, "NO.....Don't Do It!!", when Non and Ursa lift the Bus full of people._

[@shawnhtpc2271]

...realizes he landed in Russia, then opts to re-launch and float through the vast emptiness of interstellar space for a few more millennia instead. Hence, no crater.

[@annescholey6546]

The arrival of Zod

[@chudthug]

Mun dee

[@Mountain8ear]

Capitan Dathon: "Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra." Captain Picard: "Tunguska, when the sky fell to Earth."

[@generalhammond461]

Berlin when the wall came down

[@anamewithnoface1330]

@@generalhammond461 they also say 'Shaka, When the walls fell." in the episode.

[@thedrizzle899]

Now there's a reference.

[@DRT-81]

Comments arms open .

[@robertstuart480]

OxHorn did a groovy Fallout 76 video referencing that Star Trek episode.

[@dendisatria7451]

Before this, all I know was that Tunguska is a Self Propelled Anti Air Gun

[@iowatroll]

Good job, man. Well put together.

[@sfomikedean1]

Kudos to Host - Simon Whistler for dealing in both metric and statue distances. It is difficult to internalize a more apt standard without immersion, videos like this one help. Thanks.

[@user-et8vm9cc3t]

18:37 "one million broken windows" Sounds like the title of a song.

[@youxkio]

Nine million bicycles in Beijing - Katie Melua

[@MisterIvyMike]

But only for a Death Metal band... 😂

[@guytitanic]

Blue Oyster Cult

[@PeacefulPeteable]

Or like a night of terror in Germany on November 9th, 1938.

[@dogphlap6749]

Or a typical day for Microsoft.

[@nikkimitchell5440]

Great job as always y'all ☺️ keep it up !🙃

[@kazzyanddecchan733]

"Landed in the Southern Swamp" "Confused why there was no crater" Me: [confused why they're confused]

[@crashjenn28]

This is easily explained. Santa crashed picking up reindeer. Tim Allen then took over from there. There's a documentary on this but the place and events have been changed.

[@gentlejake605]

LMFAO and remember a reindeer gets hooked on sweets lol

[@CativaBR]

Santa's Nuclear Sled.

[@ZeldaZonk-zt8fr]

Your comment made me smile 😆

[@slowstang88]

That's not even funny, completely idiotic

[@h00db01i]

@@slowstang88 most exquisite, your highness

[@claudiobizama5603]

Damn that Tesla and his wizardly death rays!

[@bluesap7318]

Claudio Bizama a wizard using a futuristic laser death ray would be a great novel.

[@joanbowden7634]

Wet dreams about tesla!

[@altergreenhorn]

Actually this conspiracy theory has some juice in it namely Tesla studied intensively non habitatet areas in the world in that time he even bought some maps of Russia Siberia aprox year before tunguska happened, there was rumors that he need a non inhabited space for some tests

[@michaelsteffensen6844]

@@altergreenhorn Got any proof of Tesla's "intense" study of uninhabited areas, specifically Russia/Siberia? Or is it something you read in a comment on some forum? Why would finding an uninhabited part of Siberia even require intense study to begin with?

[@jonsirulesx9929]

Tesla, and not Emperor Ming?

[@bonniehoke-scedrov4906]

Great video! Thanks!

[@zonklers4423]

I really love all ur videos @simonWhistler , u always make it sound intresting and ur funny to =P Thanks for all videos , i sub on top ten , biograpics and geographics :) keep up the good work team ^^

[@pavelberlet6024]

That's a great story and so interestingly told! As someone who lived in Chelyabinsk in 2013 at the time of the meteor impact, I find impossible to imagine what that massive Tunguska meteor would have done to an urban area! Thank you for your work.

[@brandonquist8394]

All those urban restructuring projects suddenly get approved!

[@ivojara]

It's not necessary to imagine it, just look at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

[@stevemelanovich8288]

There was no meteor due to NO CRATER! There was no fireball - nothing was burnt. Check out Why Files story on Tesla's works.

[@popeantichrist8847]

It change itsdirection how can a meteorite change its direction

[@rilluma]

its funny because of the paper wall

[@mitchellneu]

"And no, I'm not going to try and read that!" Simon, you are a true gift to humanity.

[@DoomJoy666]

3yrs since this came out and simon looks like such a young baby compared to his large beard self now. And he's open talking about his kids and has videos where he riffs and we can see who he actually is ever so slightly. Cool to see

[@salliegallegos918]

Love your video. I wish you would slow down a bit when speaking, though. The pace when you read the captions is perfect. Thank you.

[@patmullarkey7659]

"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain."

[@onesec8005]

That's the spirit!

[@christopherkimble8534]

Rutger Hauer in Blade Runner?

[@Electricalphil]

Watch "soldier" with Kurt Russell. He has campaign tattoos on his shoulder. One says "Tannhauser Gate".

[@jakahl1470]

What do you mean, "you people"?

[@rosiehawtrey]

@@jakahl1470 humans, dear boy, humans.

[@michaelgoncalves3765]

Damn, Simon and the entire team, I'm sure I'm not alone when I say how sincerely I enjoy and appreciate the thoroughness and passion with which you tackle every topic. Please, for all of our sake, keep up the good work.

[@michaelgoncalves3765]

And not even just Geographics but Biographics and TopTenz and the rest of them too, you guys really make sure I always have something to add to even the most random of conversations when the appropriate topic pops up.

[@geographicstravel]

Thank you :)

[@lukehowyagoin1278]

agree !! love this channel, i only have keep 3 subscriptions and now they are one.

[@Openreality]

What thoroughness? There's no scientific proof to any of this let alone supposed seismic activity without any equipment to record it. Its conspiracy theory nut ball shit.

[@cosmicblondelover6830]

And he's HOT..

[@user-hm9uq8gk5x]

I was so inspired by this story a whole back that I included it in the beginning of a work-in-progress novel. It has so much potential

[@ArtByKarenEHaley]

I would love to read a novel like that 😮

[@jerichohill487]

Great show, as usual. Love all your channels. And thank you for dumbing down the kilometres to miles for myself and the rest of us Americans that haven't been taught them.

[@mattdowning7281]

I spent some small time living in Germany in college, and I still have to stop and do the math in my head, unless Simon does it for me.

[@inlonging]

Yes he does, but we’re so ignorant do we even know what 100 miles is? He needs to tell us how many football fields or for us Californians, how long it would take to drive, or something like that lol

[@crptpyr]

To be fair, miles are used for distance more commonly in the UK than kilometres. We use a pretty heavy mix of the metric and imperial systems based on context. We'll weigh most things in grams/kilograms, but people in stone and pounds. Likewise we still refer to human height in feet and inches, rather than centimetres. We'll order a pint at the bar, speed is measured in mph, etc. There are a few other places who use both systems too - Canada, notably. So it's not really just a dumbing down for Americans, but using both systems because both systems are still in use in multiple countries.

[@hannahalexy]

I'm stupid as it gets and I have no trouble doing the conversion in my head. Just times the kilometres by 1.6... What i do, though, is halve the number of kilometres, and add that number plus 10% of the total. So say, you have 75km...50% of 75 is 37.5. So I add 37.5 to 75, thats 112.5. Then add 10% of 75, 7.5 and you get 120. 75 km = 120 miles. This can be done really quickly. You don't need to be taught it, just use common sense 🤭 Even easier the other way round. Just halve then take away 10%.

[@nathanwahl9224]

75km is only 46 miles. 75 miles is 120km. Miles are bigger. @@hannahalexy

[@MAGGOT_VOMIT]

_"Hey Lev.......Have ya ever heard of Evel Knievel?"_ _Lev: "No, I never saw Star Wars"_

[@azerdraco3146]

Russian parts, American parts ... ALL MADE IN TAIWAN!!

[@ugoeze7360]

Eyewitness: "... followed by eight loud bangs like gunshots" Me: Sounds like we got an alien turf war.

[@TacDyne]

Main explosion + 1 per each piece it broke into +1 for each mountain echo.

[@daerdevvyl4314]

Maybe it was an alien driveby.

[@lindagomez3114]

You make history fun to watch! You've got an awesome sense of humour!

[@mickemike2148]

Thank you! This was immensely amusing!

[@randallpetroelje3913]

Is there anything thing that you cannot narrarate? Dude you are absolutely brilliant as a epic story teller like the bards of old. Love your commentary and show.

[@geographicstravel]

Thank you :)

[@Xhumed]

The rippling ground effect is very interesting. I'm curious about the colourful sunsets and clouds afterwards, and what caused that. Something about the mineral makeup of the meteorite?

[@AUTUMN-DARK]

Last year I was on a walk along the coast of Ireland at night when a huge meteroite streaked across the sky... It was a bright neon green and as it passed the entire landscape and oceon was lit up loke daytime except... Green... Luckily this was captured by a photographer in Ireland who happend to be out doing some night photography otherwise many people I told about this would of thought me mad. I have always wondered about the chemical constitution of this meteroite... How many of these larger pieces are striking the oceon each year?

[@ricklewis5804]

@@AUTUMN-DARK if it was green it probably had a lot of copper in it

[@russlehman2070]

I suspect it was dust particles in the atmosphere, either from the metieorite itself, for the earth at the impact side, or both.

[@jsl151850b]

Dust in the stratosphere. See also volcanoes.

[@pamelamorgan7354]

I enjoy your videos! Interesting and very well presented!

[@hundley451]

love the cut and splice makes for a max headrum look great to watch

[@daneeasterday3939]

I absolutely LOVE this new format. I appreciate how you take the same level of research and care that you do with Biographics and apply it to places of significance instead of an individual. I just wish it was more than twice a week.

[@geographicstravel]

Maybe one day, once we get established. Videos are expensive to produce so we want to grow responsibly. - Shell

[@malbowz1257]

The first time I heard about the Tunguska Event was in Ghostbusters 1984. It was laughingly called a "paranormal event". Needless to say that brief mention has intrigued me ever since about what happened there.

[@nathanwahl9224]

I'd hear of it beforehand, and when the character (Egan?) said the line it really popped out! So I looked up a number of the things they'd mentioned; they mostly were fact, or a version of a fact. Like the Spirit Guide exists, but it's something else.

[@smoothborepmc]

Great video!

[@stephenphillip5656]

Humans dodged a (cosmic) bullet that day. My grandfather (1880~1975) used to tell us of an event when he was in his late 20s when he was able to read the newspaper at midnight as there was a very bright night sky and no street lights. This fits 1908 as he'd be 28 that year. The very bright night sky was in all probability a result of the Tunguska event. 7am in Soviet far-east Russia would be about midnight in Western Europe.

[@putridvomit]

*Kids in 1921:* "A terrible storm, so great it was difficult to stand" *Kids in 2020:* "Aye rite bruv coodnt stand up init"

[@leonotthelion]

".....aye"

[@gentlejake605]

Ye instead of yes or ya instead of yes so tru lol

[@sunray9060]

This hurt so much to read lol. It seems like communication skills are a thing of the past. I think it was my generation that started this decline.

[@sunray9060]

@@dominikq. I'm not a boomer I'm 29. I understand that not every person is going to agree with me. I prefer the way people spoke in early 1900s.

[@shigekax]

@@sunray9060 but you do know that the sentence from the 1900's was not verbatim

[@lt-nameless3557]

Trees in a remote area: Exists Tunguska: That's a nono.

[@anraiquarra6638]

This channel is just fantastic

[@americanwelder9865]

This story has intrigued me since I was 10 yrs old and I read about it in a science history book. I am 46 now and still just as enthusiastic over this event.

[@jumpkickman1993]

This is a perfect idea for an alternate history book

[@jumpkickman1993]

@Josh Jones there are so many different situations in which I feel this could make a very good story

[@michaelhowell2326]

We've had a few disagreements, but this channel is pretty happening.

[@funkdoktor9099]

Nice job mate.

[@sharkman8405]

Just because you think it's science fiction doesn't mean it isn't possible. Tesla was a genius. His creations much like Da Vinci's were far ahead of their time. I am a retired engineer and have studied Tesla's inventions and experiments over many years and what Tesla accomplished was truly amazing. Tesla was not aiming at the north pole, he was aiming where the explosion occurred. It was his last experiment before the tower was to be torn down and he wanted to see just how much power his tower could generate. What he did was send out a pulse of energy so condensed and so large that he was able to bounce it off the moon and directed it to where it landed. When he heard the news of what had happened in Russia, he was satisfied with the results of his experiment and let them do what they wanted with the tower. BTW, the Russian researchers also claim that Dyatlov pass incident was caused by an avalanche which is also wrong. It's easy to claim they found microscopic fragments because no one but them can disprove it. Plus, they don't have to show the proof to anyone. One more note, Putin in the past few years made a law that no one is allowed to speak of Russian atrocities committed during WW2.

[@MrZomBie775]

I dont know if anyone else had this experience but I remember back when I was 15 and I played COD: world at war nazi zombies religiously, and the word "Tunguska" was written on a wall on one of maps I watched like hundreds of theory videos on KZbin about it... man those were the days. Lol

[@naan-oyobizniz3168]

What's interesting me is if the Tunguska event had an impact on global climate, albeit a minor one.

[@dave-o3674]

I'm thinking it wasn't in 1908.. I think the Czar would have already sent people to Tunguska.. I'm thinking there is a story of rivers running backward due to earthquakes, mudslides, avalanches,. When the rivers ran backwards cholera killed many people especially children. To think this story is true Berlin supposedly had windows break that year from the blast, so it's not true or windows broke in Russia closer to the impact. My guess is that it happened in 1830 maybe.. that's when rivers ran backwards that's when the ladder saint's started that's also when Europe had many leaving new religions started by those leaving Europe as rivers ran backwards in America,... So I figure the hid it, to think something with that magnitude is coming and all you have to be is 40 miles or so outside the impact zone. Yet some say windows will break farther then that away. I'd think if Rivers run backwards some will maybe start new religions, I think if an asteroid hits that hard, around that impact area new religions will start, I think Russia wouldn't wait 10 years to send someone, I think they'd send someone as soon as it happens and hide that information and collect whatever fragments they could for as long as they could.. I think books like Alice in wonderland is after the impact I think books like the wizard of oz is after the impact, I think assassination and assassination attempts might start as sickness starts, plus climate changes (disasters weather patterns changing) I think there is probably some type of farmers almanac keeping track of weather patterns Better then some historians...I think people will try to flee their country AND HIDE DEADLY DISASTERS THAT CAUSED SICKNESS HAS HAPPENED IN THEIR COUNTRY..the fact that the ladder saint's like being around lakes called salt lake city and it's multiple states I think is connected to the theory it's direction was based on a lake... I'm not a ladder saint or Mormon but I know their prophet was said assassinated, as I looked this up I realized my religious founder left Europe and to America in 1831, and he was trying to get things to change so he was excommunicated before he left... Luckily it was in June because of it was when it was winter MANY OF WINDOWS COULD HAVE BURST ESPECIALLY IF THE TEMPERATURE DROPPED SUDDENLINK...if I. Winter lot's avalanches in the Alps could have happened, flooding later after avalanches fell, it's good thing it happened after cameras, phones, and telegraphs because that's how everyone found out quickly... And who sent the guy to look for and study rocks?? The Czar went into hiding when ???

[@nathanwahl9224]

Extremely well done, thank you.

[@youtamin]

very nice of you to use both scales !!

[@fuckYTIDontWantToUseMyRealName]

How were they knocked unconscious if they were already asleep? "I was dreaming and then suddenly I wasn't."

[@TrueRetroflection]

They were probably awake only in midair

[@GhostlyJorg]

the definition of being unconscious is that you can't be woken up normally, also no dreams, as you say

[@lagginluther]

That’s like waking up dead

[@jackvella6392]

Sleeping then BANG!!! you wake up then a couple of seconds later a shock wave, go flying, then bang, you’re sleepy by?

[@OslerWannabe]

Here is a complex explanation of a simple concept: Sleep is a normal neurophysiologic state. "Un"-consciousness means "lack of"-consciousness. There are many kinds of "unconsciousness", but they all derive from a LACK of normal neurologic function. The effects differ depending on which localized part of the brain is malfunctioning. From a superficial perspective, sleep and all forms of unconsciousness appear similar, because they all represent the absence of normal waking neurologic function. In the case of unconsciousness, "normal" wakefulness is altered by a malfunction. In the case of sleep, normal wakefulness is replaced by another normal, non-waking state.

[@FlacidRob]

“Nothing paranormal happened at Tunguska”. That’s exactly what they want us to think

[@ladyvaderkmc1]

The Truth is Out There

[@FondelMikeRotch]

Yer tinfoil hat seems crooked

[@lexaproqueen9681]

I think it’s so funny how viscerally people react to the mere possibility that something beyond our current understanding may have happened at Tunguska or anywhere. Keep in mind that the meteorite explanation is still only a hypothesis-just like the rest of the potential explanations. No evidence has been found to corroborate that explanation it just fits with the nature of the damage and was elevated above the others because it conforms to our current understandings of the universe. Not saying it’s a guarantee something paranormal happened there but it is a possibility.

[@FondelMikeRotch]

@@lexaproqueen9681 what the hell does a explosion from a meteor have to do with paranormal ? Sniffing glue?

[@haruhisuzumiya6650]

@@ladyvaderkmc1 occoms razor shows meteors

[@xpndblhero5170]

It was an Airburst of an ice body that almost completely destroyed itself... Also the reasons it could have changed direction is that he heated up certain spots that caused huge jets of gas that could be big enough to make it zigzag around the sky then the heat of friction would get to be too much for it so it detonated. Luckily we didn't deal w/ that in a city but we were close w/ Chelyabinsk and a couple other places... 😬

[@georgesparks7833]

Great job fun to watch...

[@Luhsteesay]

Was fascinated with rocks as a kid and this is the first time I've seen lonsdalaite mentioned outside my little rock and mineral book. Its properties are one of 3 random science facts I give people.

[@alexandercarder2281]

Tunguska event totally fascinates me. My grandpas was born in western Siberia in Tobolsk, so I am really interested in that remote place. Simon if you would I love you to do one on the Dyatlov pass incident. It’s really creepy and interesting. Thanks

[@frigginjerk]

Yeah, Dyatlov Pass kinda freaks me out.

[@alexandercarder2281]

And me 😀😃

[@cosmicblondelover6830]

What happened ??

[@frigginjerk]

@@cosmicblondelover6830 It was a skiing trip in Russia where everybody died. They were all experienced and should have known better, but they appeared to have done a lot of odd or dumb things that contributed to them dying. Also, I think some of the bodies were orange when they found them.

[@alexandercarder2281]

Cosmicblonde Lover there’s some great documentaries on KZbin that cover the incident. There actions weren’t dumb, they weren’t dumb hikers, they were expert and extremely experienced at it and wouldn’t have done what they did for no good reason. Something terrified them so much that they cut through there tent in the middle of the night in -18 half naked (most of them) some bare footed and some in socks 🧦 and fled down the hillside into a valley. Best to check out the KZbin documentaries on it. But they all died a horrible painfull death. The Russian authorities said in there conclusion that it was a “unidentifiable. compelling force”

[@matteste]

Actually, the theories about the event continued as some now believe it was a heavy iron based meteor that was traveling so fast that it just glanced past Earth, entering and and then exiting the atmosphere.

[@matteste]

@George Thomas Indeed, the chances are minuscule, but not impossible. It would have had to have entered at an extremely shallow angle and at an incredibly high velocity. I just brought something up that I have seen in some scientific papers. Like I said, it is still just a theory as with everything else about Tunguska.

[@timpage5021]

Yea I read that too. But it’s BS. There is no iron there for 1 2 its highly improbable a 200 meter iron meteor isn’t gonna come and then decide to skip back out.. No one serious in science buys that BS.

[@Supersonic...]

Ore of my favourite videos!..More content along these lines please?.....Super interesting from start to finish.... You've got an excellent gift for narration,specifically for this type event!... Thank you..

[@clarice8604]

4:54 "I.M. Suslov." "I am Steve Rogers"

[@shannonrhoads7099]

"I Am Groot."

[@dbak322]

The alien ship was acceptable .. but Tesla's tower was deemed science fiction? Why does the world hate Tesla?

[@ColdNorth0628]

Because teslas tower was just a giant radio tower. Why would it.suddenly start shooting shit? At least an alien ship catching itself and booking it in the ol' "hit and run" tactic would make a bit more sense since it came from the sky.

[@camarc79]

Because he was a huge threat to industrialists. And big industry made sure to discredit him which carried on through the decades.

[@haruhisuzumiya6650]

@@ColdNorth0628 meteors explode in the atmosphere high in the exosphere this meteor vaporised in the troposphere

[@strcmdrbookwyrm]

I think it's because he was the real life mad scientist. While Tesla did discover and build many revolutionary things (alternating current being his most well known), he was constantly being smeared and undercut by Edison. To secure funding Tesla would put on a show, and boy could he put one on. If I remember right, he was probably very paranoid about his ideas being stolen and didn't keep many notes. He was also a bit of a social recluse and would spend a lot of time working on his own projects. I'd say that because Tesla did some crazy stuff, it's difficult to tell what he did and didn't do sometimes.

[@Kasei.T]

Watching this after years of viewing all of Simon's more recent work and I barely recognize this Simon. He's practically clean shaven here!

[@glasslinger]

Chicken little was running all over the place trying to warn people! They didn't listen! Chicken little was blown to bits.

[@jnew42]

Could you do the Elephants Foot, or the Aokigahara forest, Angkor Wat, or Puma Punku? Another great episode, the writers seem to be having a great time, thank you to the whole team behind these.

[@anewspinonthings]

Jon New if you want some good videos on Angkor wat. I’d recommend visiting Extra credits series on it

[@hugolafhugolaf]

@@anewspinonthings 10 points if they actually visit and touch the Elephant's Foot.

[@MuertaRara]

Aokigahara forest is just a forest

[@noahhess4955]

The elephants foot would be sick

[@daerdevvyl4314]

Or the Immoveable Ladder.

[@KaskadiaJackassWatch]

This is the most thorough description of events I've ever heard.

[@rmarieshen862]

likewise

[@walkerpantera]

this vid could be a drinking game - take a shot everytime Simon says Tunguska 😁🤪