Research has found that meteroids, small rocky or metallic objects that orbit the Sun, often explode before they reach Earth's surface due to a phenomenon known as atmospheric entry heating. As a meteroid enters the Earth's atmosphere at extremely high speeds, typically several kilometers per second, it encounters intense friction with the atmospheric gases. This friction generates tremendous heat, causing the meteroid's surface to rapidly vaporize. The vaporized material forms a glowing envelope of hot gas around the meteroid, known as a meteor.

As the meteroid continues its descent, the intense heat causes its interior to undergo rapid expansion of trapped volatiles, such as water vapor and gases. This expansion leads to a buildup of internal pressure, eventually resulting in an explosive fragmentation of the meteroid. This explosion is what gives rise to the spectacular phenomenon we witness as meteors or fireballs streaking across the sky.

The explosion of a meteroid can occur at various altitudes depending on its size, density, and velocity. Larger meteroids tend to explode at higher altitudes, while smaller ones may explode closer to the ground. These explosions can release a significant amount of energy and produce a variety of effects, such as bright flashes, sonic booms, and even seismic vibrations in some cases.

Atmospheric entry heating is a natural process that acts as a protective shield for our planet by disintegrating most meteroids before they pose any significant threat to life on Earth. Only a small fraction of larger meteoroids and asteroids manage to survive the intense heating and reach the surface as meteorites.