What is a meteor strike?

A meteor strike occurs when a meteoroid, a small rocky or metallic body from space, enters the Earth's atmosphere and survives its passage to impact the ground. This event can create craters, produce shock waves, and cause damage depending on the size and speed of the meteoroid. While most meteoroids burn up in the atmosphere, larger ones can lead to significant geological and ecological effects upon impact. Meteor strikes are relatively rare but have played a crucial role in Earth's history, including mass extinction events.