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Jun 6, 2026

A bullet does produce a blast wave, which is fainter because of its reduced kinetic energy relative to a meteor which is 100 times faster (and hence carries 10,000 times more kinetic energy per unit mass). Also, a bullet is artificially made to withstand the heat around it, whereas the material strength of a rock is much smaller so it disintegrates and breaks into small fragments that burn up quickly because of the large surface area per unit mass.

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Avi Loeb
Avi Loeb

Written by Avi Loeb

Avi Loeb is the Baird Professor of Science at Harvard U. and a bestselling author. Check out his YouTube Channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@ProfessorAviLoeb