Locals still remember how the meteorite fell in the Bereznyi region.
Transcarpathia has long been striking with the beauty of mountainous, fantastic landscapes, colorful traditions and sincere people, and therefore real heroes. After all, it is not for nothing that this nature with its magnificent population invited the world-famous science fiction writer Jules Verne on a journey.
And what fantastic things the science fiction writer saw in the distant past in Transcarpathia. What phenomenon caught his attention, raising the whole world to its feet?
And the fact is that in 1982, the largest meteorite in Europe was found in Transcarpathia, and this phenomenon did not leave behind the attention of the most prominent scientists.
The meteorite was found in the village of Knyahynia, Velyko-Bereznyi district. It was dug up by one of the locals, Vasyl Kryvianyk. Later, a huge 500-kilogram fragment "for 2 oxen" was bought by the local forester Anton Pokorny, and as a result, he resold it to the Vienna Imperial Museum. Currently, the fragments of the meteorite are in the largest museums in Europe.
According to scientists, during the explosion of the meteorite, it was torn into more than 1200 fragments, which provoked a significant meteor shower. Small fragments dotted a large-scale area within a radius of 5 km. It was this fragment that was first found at a depth of 2 meters by Vasyl Kryvyanyk.
That this fragment was unusual, Mr. Vasyl was one hundred percent sure. And then it started....
In December 2009, old archival documents revealed new data about the Princess, which indicate the important role of this meteorite in the development of the panspermia hypothesis – the appearance of life on Earth due to the introduction of certain "embryos of life" from space. We are talking about publications in the scientific journal "Science" (1881), in the article "C. Darwin and Dr. Hahn's Discovery of the Fossil Remains of Organisms in a Meteorite", correspondence between Charles Darwin and the German geologist Otto Hahn. In particular, the German scientist claimed that during the study of the meteorite fragments of the Princess, he discovered particles of extraterrestrial corals, parasites and plants. The data were verified and fully confirmed by the famous zoologist Weinländer. All information about the research is published by the author in the book "Die Meteorite (crondrite) und ihre Organismen" (1880).
Interested in the facts about the largest meteorite in Europe, Jules Verne himself visited the site of its fall in 1892. Later, the science fiction author described the explosive event in his next novel "Chasing a Meteorite". Which brought Verne considerable fame.
The nature of Transcarpathia was also reflected in another novel by Jules Verne "Castle in the Carpathians". This is confirmed by an information poster in Nevytsky Castle in Uzhhorod district.
The fantastic horror novel is a geographical and ethnographic echo of the events in the Carpathians, described by the author in the 80s. The historical and romantic flavor of real social events in some European countries is complemented by the author's sci-fi predictions.
It is very interesting to learn how for the population of the Carpathians in the XIX century what is now known in the most remote corners of the planet as "household appliances" seemed like a miracle, mysticism, "evil spirit"...
While in the Carpathians, Jules Verne once again expressed great fascination with the surrounding nature, embodying his own fantasies of incredible masterpieces.
Today, film adaptations based on the novels of Jules Verne are in great demand. Well, the countrymen are happy that they are also the heroes of fantastic plots.
The largest meteorite in Europe
The search for the wreckage is still ongoing, a recent find is evidenced by a lot at the online auction of a resident of Berehove - a piece weighing 164 grams, priced at $ 4500.
On May 5, 2018, the opening of the 33rd mini-monument took place. The sculpture tells about the Princess meteorite, the largest known meteorite in Europe, the fall of which was recorded in recent history. The monument to the meteorite Princess is erected on the square. S. Petofi, on the railing opposite the sugar factory of Valentin Shtefanyo. His brand currently makes Meteorite chocolates.
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