Most evidence suggests a comet or asteroid explosion caused the blast, though no impact crater was found. The Tunguska event, which occurred on June 30, 1908, in Siberia, Russia, was a massive explosion that flattened over 800 square miles of forest. Witnesses reported a bright flash in the sky, followed by a shockwave that knocked people down hundreds of miles away.
Scientists believe the explosion was caused by a small comet or asteroid that entered Earth’s atmosphere and disintegrated before impact, releasing energy equivalent to a nuclear bomb. Because the object exploded mid-air, it did not create a crater, unlike other impact events. Instead, the intense heat and shockwave caused widespread destruction.
While some alternative theories have been proposed—including natural gas explosions, black holes, and even alien activity—the asteroid or comet explosion theory remains the most widely accepted explanation based on available evidence. Modern research continues to study the event, using computer models and tree ring data to understand its effects and the risks of future similar impacts.
