Every year, many space rocks fall into our planet, even if most do not survive entering our atmosphere, as they are too small to withstand the heat caused by this. The estimate is that the number of meteorites that fall on Earth is less than 10,000, which is very little compared to those that fall on the Moon, for example.
The number is higher on the Moon, as it does not have an atmosphere, making it easier for these rocks to enter in different sizes and weights. How is it estimated by live science, about 33 thousand meteors about the size of ping-pong balls hit Earth's natural satellite annually.
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According to the astronomer from the University of the Republic in Montevideo, in Uruguay, Gonzalo Tancredi, most of these meteors that can be detected on our planet “come from meteor showers associated with the dust released by comets”. However, he points out that these meteor showers do not have the capacity to produce meteorites, since the objects are too fragile to withstand impact with the ground.
Also, as the fragments of comets or asteroids enter the Earth's atmosphere, they are burned due to friction with the air. This leads to streaks of light across the sky, and these glowing rocks are called meteors.
Gonzalo Tancredi also checked some data from the Meteoritical Society, seeking to measure how many meteors hit Earth annually. Thus, from 2007 to 2018, 95 reports of meteorites falling on the planet were reported, which gives an approximate average of 7.9 reports per year.
It turns out that this calculation does not take into account the space rocks that fell into the sea. In this way, Tancredi calculates that approximately 6,100 of these rocks reach our planet, however, only 1,800 reach the solid ground.
Another interesting analysis made by the astronomer is that rocks 10m wide should enter the Earth's atmosphere between 6 and 10 years. This size of meteor is endowed with the capacity to cause a large explosion.
Finally, a space rock collision with Earth capable of generating the extinction of an entire species, like what happened with the dinosaurs, it happens probably every 100 million or 200 million years, as said by Tancredi.
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