Hodges meteorite
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The Hodges Meteorite is the only documented instance of an extraterrestrial object to have struck a human being. The meteoroid fell in several pieces on Sylacauga, Alabama on November 30, 1954. A grapefruit-sized piece crashed through the roof of a house, bounced off a large wooden console radio, destroying it, and hit Ann Elizabeth Hodges (1923-1972) who was napping on a couch. The 31 year old woman was badly bruised on one side of her body but able to walk.
The meteor made a fireball visible from three states as it streaked through the atmosphere, even though it fell early in the afternoon. The event received worldwide publicity.
The United States Air Force sent a helicopter to take the meteorite. Eugene Hodges, the husband of the woman who was struck, hired a lawyer to get it back. The Hodgeses' landlord also claimed it, wanting to sell it to cover the damage to the house. There were offers of up to 5,000 U.S. dollars for the meteorite. By the time the meteorite was returned to the Hodgeses, over a year later, public attention had diminished and they were unable to find a buyer willing to pay much money.
Ms. Hodges was uncomfortable with the public attention and the stress of the dispute over ownership of the meteorite. Against her husband's wishes, she donated it to the Alabama Museum of Natural History. It is an ordinary chondrite stone (H4), [1] and weighs about 8.5 pounds (4 kg). It is on display at the University of Alabama. [2]
