Rare Incident: Woman in France hit by meteorite while enjoying coffee on her terrace

In a rare and unusual incident, a woman in France was unexpectedly struck by a meteorite while enjoying a coffee with a friend. The incident took place in the village of Alsace, located in eastern France. As per reports, the woman was sitting outside on a terrace, engaged in conversation, when an unidentified pebble struck her in the ribs.

Recalling the incident, the woman shared her experience with a news outlet, stating, “I heard a loud ‘Poom’ sound coming from the nearby roof. In the following moment, I felt a sudden impact on my ribs. Initially, I thought it might be an animal, perhaps a bat!” She further mentioned, “We initially believed it to be a piece of cement, like the type used for ridge tiles. However, it didn’t have the same coloration.”

According to the woman, the small space rock had bounced off the roof before hitting her chest, causing some bruising. Although her identity was not disclosed, she sought the expertise of geologist Dr. Thierry Rebmann, who examined the rock. Dr. Rebmann confirmed that the rock indeed had extraterrestrial origins.

The geologist further explained that the meteorite contained a combination of iron and silicon, which, in itself, is not uncommon. However, it is exceptionally rare for a meteorite to strike an individual directly.

Dr. Thierry Rebmann explained that finding meteors in temperate climate zones like France is even more unusual. In fact, throughout the 21st century, there have been only five documented cases of meteorites landing in France, according to officials’ records.

Nearly 70 years ago, the United States witnessed the first verified case of a person being struck by a meteorite. Ann Hodges from Sylacauga, Alabama, encountered this rare occurrence in November 1954. A stony meteorite, weighing 8 pounds, crashed through her roof, resulting in a significant impact that caused severe bruising to the woman.