Suspected Meteorite Fall in Cuba Met with Scientific Skepticism

An object, believed by some to be a meteorite, reportedly fell in the La Trocha neighborhood of Pilón, located in Cuba's southeastern Granma province. State media reported the incident, sparking local interest.

However, a prominent Cuban geologist and member of the Academy of Sciences, Manuel Iturralde Vinent, expressed skepticism. He suggested the object might be "circumterrestrial technological waste from the atmosphere" rather than a genuine meteorite. Iturralde noted the object's lack of a fusion crust, its porous texture, and the unusual structure of spheres with gaps between them, characteristics not typically associated with meteorites originating from space.

Furthermore, Iturralde pointed out the absence of a crater, which would be expected for an object of its size, even if it fragmented upon impact. He stated, "there is no crater that for fragments of this size can have a few centimeters in diameter and depth."

This event brings to mind a similar incident on February 1, 2019, when a meteorite disintegrated into numerous fragments across various municipalities in Pinar del Río province. That event was characterized by a visible fireball, a condensation trail, and a loud explosion, according to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment.

Previous meteorite falls in Cuba were reported in 1938, 1974, and 1994, occurring in western and central locations.