Traveling through the sky at a few kilometers per second, friction with the air can cause the meteor to break up into several pieces.

CNN: Meteor shows why it is crucial to keep an eye on the sky

The latest estimate is that the Chelyabinsk meteor was about 56 feet (17 meters) across, weighed more than 7, 000 tons and was moving about 18 kilometers per second (40, 000 mph) when it blew apart, she said.

CNN: Planet of sound: Meteor blast resonated around Earth

The latest estimate is that the Chelyabinsk meteor was about 56 feet (17 meters) across, weighed more than 700, 000 tons and was moving about 18 kilometers per second (40, 000 mph) when it blew apart, she said.

CNN: Planet of sound: Meteor blast resonated around Earth

Of the two labs, Fujitsu achieved the fastest transmission rate of 1.1 terabits per second, which were sent 150 kilometers over a single strand of optical fiber.

CNN: THE INTERNET