The fabulous Leonid meteor storms have produced some of the most spectacular astronomical sights in history. These blizzards of light struck terror in people's hearts as the sky appeared to be falling. At other times, the glare of a bright bolide — perhaps followed by a tremendous explosion — can provoke anything from momentary surprise to vast destruction.

Most meteoroids from space burn up as meteors — streaks of light — in the upper atmosphere. Only rarely do meteorites survive the plunge to reach the ground. When they do, they become objects that pass from the heavens to Earth. As such, they have left a bigger imprint on human history than is generally realized.