A team of researchers has gained a deeper understanding of what happens when rocks from space plunge into Earth's atmosphere and survive the journey to the ground. By examining video recordings and photographs of 75 meteorite falls, they identified seven distinct phases that describe how these objects transform into meteorites. The study, published in the journal Meteoritics & Planetary Science, reveals that melting and breaking apart play a much greater role than previously believed in determining how much material a rock loses, how quickly it slows down, and where its fragments eventually land. The researchers found that incoming space rocks pass through seven distinct phases as they travel through the atmosphere. Each phase is characterized by different physical processes that influence the rock's appearance, behavior, and eventual fate. The study's findings could help explain why meteorites scatter across the ground and how dangerous asteroids explode in Earth's atmosphere. The researchers discovered that the shape of the surviving rock can influence where smaller fragments eventually land. If its rear section remains intact, the main body creates an area of reduced pressure in its wake, drawing smaller pieces along behind it. This phenomenon was observed in several documented meteorite falls, where larger fragments tended to be scattered wider and many came from close to the surface of the original space rock. The study's findings also provide valuable clues about the behavior of much larger asteroids, including objects ranging from the size of cars to entire city blocks that can produce powerful explosions in the atmosphere. By measuring how different solid rocks slow down and fragment during atmospheric entry, scientists can better understand the processes that govern these potentially dangerous asteroid airbursts. The researchers' work has significant implications for understanding the behavior of asteroids and meteorites, and could potentially help prevent future asteroid impacts. The study's findings are a significant contribution to the field of planetary science and highlight the importance of continued research into the behavior of asteroids and meteorites.