The past week we saw an example of nature’s dangers, a meteor, they are still zeroing in on just how large, struck the earth’s atmosphere exploding high above the ground, from what I can determine about 25 miles, and exploded with a half a megaton of blast.

More than one thousand people were injured. The principle cause of the injuries were flying glass. It seems quite a few people, after seeing the brilliant flash, rushed to their windows and were standing at those windows when the shockwave arrived.

The much maligned safety video above is giving good advice. If there is a sudden and brilliant flash, you should seek cover at once. You are not safe until at the very least the sound and blast has passed you by. A soundless brilliant flash is a warning sign of a massive event, you do not want the to out in the open or near glass when the blast arrives.

A nuclear warhead would have burst closer to the ground, and yes if you are in the direct blast zone of such an event Ducking and Covering is of little help, but most people are not going to be in the direct blast zone. (From what I understand the Meteor came in at a very shallow angle, and had it been a more direct approach it would have detonated much lower.)

Such an astronomical event is unlikely to occur for decades, by the odds, but you know sometimes those odds rise up and bite you. Pay attention, if there is a flash, seek cover at once.