The damaged panel allowed searing hot gases to seep into the wing on re-entry, causing the craft to lose control and disintegrate.

CNN: NASA, Texas towns mark Columbia disaster

The report said the Airprox board had been of the opinion that the object was unlikely to have been a fixed wing aircraft, helicopter or hot air balloon, given that it had not shown up on radar.

BBC: Airliner 'had narrow miss with UFO'

Competitive eating has gone extreme in recent years, with globe-trotting contestants often taking top honors in events like Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4 at Coney Island in New York and Philadelphia's Wing Bowl in February.

WSJ: Extreme Cheeseheads Choke It Down