Russia banned the transfer of meteorite pieces abroad

Customs have promised scientists to prevent the release of meteorite debris. The 'meteorite tours' are rushing to Chelyabinsk. Local authorities plan to turn this place into a meeting place for 'interplanetary' tourists .

Russian scientists have asked security forces to prevent the removal of the Russian border from all the meteorites found in the "meteor shower" down Chelyabinsk . "Meteorite fever" broke out in this area after rumors of their "massive" prices. That will cause the phenomenon of Russian experts no longer have specimens for scientific research.

'Meteors are of great cultural value, so the introduction of meteorites abroad can only be done with the permission of the authorities of the Federal Ministry of Culture' , Ekaterina Anchiporova, Public Relations Manager of Russian General Department of Customs told journalists.

More than 100 meteorite debris were found, of which the largest piece weighed more than 1kg.

Academician Erik Galimov, director of the Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, which specializes in meteorites, said: "Meteors can be taken abroad because there are many people in the world who are hunting. I sent an official letter to the Federal Director General of the Customs, Alexander Bortnikov, to pay attention to this incident, at least to establish a containment barrier. '

The meteorite entered the atmosphere and exploded in the sky Chelyabinsk on the morning of February 15, the debris flew in all directions. At this time, it was found that more than 100 pieces, the largest pieces weighing over 1kg.

The inhabitants of Chelyabinsk as well as people from the surrounding areas came here, rushing to find the heavenly stones that bestowed, forming clues "collecting meteors." On the Internet, a meteorite piece is priced up to 500,000 rubles. The Chelyabinsk area police began tracking down the lines of "cosmic stone business" and the first person arrested was a 26-year-old local, who possessed quite a few fragments of meteorites.

The 'meteor shower' event caused a stir in the community of collectors from all over the world. Demand for tours to the area Chelyabinsk appeared. Local authorities have started to manage a new industry, "meteorite tourism". People even thought of turning Chelyabinsk into an "interplanetary meeting" place . The government is promoting the construction of a monumental monument to the recent 'cosmic event' .

According to Boris Shustov, director of the Astronomical Institute of the Russian Federal Academy of Sciences (INASAN), the destructive energy of a meteorite explosion is equivalent to 100 to 200 kiloton TNT (not as NASA estimates 500 kiloton TNT), the diameter of the celestial body has not exceeded 20m, and its speed is about 30km / s.'The shockwave caused by the explosion broke the windows of 7,000 buildings. More than 1,500 people were injured by the right pieces of glass , ' he said.