Year in Review: Meteorite makes an impact

Space rock fires a warning shot

This meteorite, weighing more than 570 kilograms, was recovered from a Russian lake in October.

Courtesy of Science/AAAS

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When a known asteroid passed within 28,000 kilometers of Earth on February 15, astronomers hoped it would serve as a wake-up call about the danger of meteorite impacts. As it turned out, astronomers got more than they had bargained for.