Unless you wake up in a post-apocalyptic video game, you’re probably not expecting a meteorite to crash through the roof of your house.
If it did, you might think the world was about to end.
But then you look out your door and realise that the only thing in danger is your bank account.
Who’s going to pay to fix this big hole in the roof?
Believe it or not, this actually happened to a man in Indonesia.
Some reports claimed that he became a millionaire as a result, but, sadly for the man, this was far from the truth.
Indonesian Found Meteorite In His Own House
A coffin maker in Indonesia who found a meteorite in his house has debunked claims that the discovery made him an instant millionaire.
On 1 Aug this year, the man, Josua Hutagalung, had been working outside his home in North Sumatra when he heard a loud bang.
Looking around for the source of the sound, Josua discovered that a large rock has crashed through his tin roof.
It weighed around 2.1kg and ended up lodged 15cm deep in the soil, according to AsiaOne.
After retrieving the meteorite, Josua shared pictures of it on Facebook.
It was still warm when he brought into the house with his hands.
Sold Meteorite For S$19,000
While he kept some fragments for himself, Josua sold the space rock to an American man on 17 Aug who was in Bali at the time.
He said he wanted to buy it for research and collection purposes, but later resold it for an undisclosed amount to Jay Piatek, a doctor and meteorite collector from the United States.
Previous reports claimed that Josua had become an instant millionaire as he had sold the rock for Rp26 billion (S$2.4 million).
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But in reality, the figure was far smaller.
Speaking to Detik on Wednesday (18 Nov), Josua said he actually sold it for Rp200 million, which is around S$19,000.
He also asked for an additional Rp14 million (S$1,333) to repair his damaged roof.
Josua, however, isn’t upset that the meteorite may have been resold for a higher price, even though he initially felt “cheated” and “disappointed”.
“I am shocked by the misunderstanding from foreign media. The price is from me. If the price is from me, it is appropriate,” Josua told BBC News Indonesia.
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“If [the meteorite] gets there, it is no longer my right. How much does that person want to sell is that person’s business,” he continued.
Despite getting a lower figure than some reports indicated, Josua chose to distribute his earnings to families, orphans, and churches in the community.
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