# Why have no fragments of the body been found? · 1908 Tunguska event > Four answers have been proposed. The body disintegrated into vapour and microscopic particles; nothing larger survived. leads, with evidence 2 for… Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tunguska-event/questions/QST0D4ECB8A5SWD/why-have-no-fragments-of-the-body-been-found Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-26T11:58:57+00:00 --- **0** # Why have no fragments of the body been found? Asked 26 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·4 answers·0·0 following **Most likely: the body disintegrated into vapour and microscopic particles; nothing larger survived** Ahead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted. ## Where it stands Four answers have been proposed. The body disintegrated into vapour and microscopic particles; nothing larger survived. leads, with evidence 2 for: partly supported by its tests. Three are still possible. Of the one narrower question under it, none is answered yet. ## Why it matters Every other large fall has yielded meteorites; Tunguska has yielded none in a century of searching⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4EBX367RST/computation-of-a-possible-tunguskas-strewn-field). The answer constrains the body's strength and composition. ## Answers 4 [**The body disintegrated into vapour and microscopic particles; nothing larger survived.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tunguska-event/answers/ANS0D4ECHKE62WK/the-body-disintegrated-into-vapour-and-microscopic-particles) Partly supported by its tests Evidence: 2 for Most likely [**None of these.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tunguska-event/answers/ANS0D4ECKHY7NST/none-of-these) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: none yet Still possible [**Stronger fragments survived and fell in a strewn field about 11 km north-west of the epicentre, where they…** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tunguska-event/answers/ANS0D4ECJAW70WC/stronger-fragments-survived-and-fell-in-a-strewn-field-about) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: 2 for Still possible [**There were no fragments to find, because the body was icy, left the atmosphere, or was not cosmic.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tunguska-event/answers/ANS0D4ECK2A2W4Z/there-were-no-fragments-to-find-because-the-body-was-icy) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: 1 for Still possible ## History 1. 1996[Svetsov puts forward: the body disintegrated into vapour and microscopic particles; nothing larger survived.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4EBXJT2K02/total-ablation-of-the-debris-from-the-1908-tunguska) 1. 2007[Gladysheva: remnant particles of 10⁻⁷ to 10⁻³ m are reported, enriched in alkali and alkaline-earth elements.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4EC3P43NDN/on-the-problem-of-the-tunguska-meteorite-material)For: The body disintegrated into vapour and microscopic particles; nothing larger survived. 1. 2008[Collins et al.: a fragment would need tensile strength 10–100 times that of large stony meteorites to reach the ground intact.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4EC08R7ZWP/evidence-that-lake-cheko-is-not-an-impact-crater)For: The body disintegrated into vapour and microscopic particles; nothing larger survived. 1. 2019[Robertson & Mathias: icy comets can produce the observed tree fall and would leave no fragments.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4EBY2E0M3E/hydrocode-simulations-of-asteroid-airbursts-and-constraints)For: There were no fragments to find, because the body was icy, left the atmosphere, or was not cosmic. 1. 2020[Khrennikov et al. puts forward: there were no fragments to find, because the body was icy, left the atmosphere, or was not cosmic.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4EC1ZE2PDF/on-the-possibility-of-through-passage-of-asteroid-bodies) 1. 2024[Carbognani et al. puts forward: stronger fragments survived and fell in a strewn field about 11 km north-west of the epicentre, where they…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4EBX367RST/computation-of-a-possible-tunguskas-strewn-field) 1. 2024[Carbognani et al.: fall modelling calibrated on Chelyabinsk allows fragments of 14–85 MPa strength to survive.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4EBX367RST/computation-of-a-possible-tunguskas-strewn-field)For: Stronger fragments survived and fell in a strewn field about 11 km north-west of the epicentre, where they… 1. 26 Oct 2026Asked on this site ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/tunguska-event/questions/QST0D4ECB8A5SWD/why-have-no-fragments-of-the-body-been-found%23discussion) Help with this question [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ] [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/tunguska-event/questions/QST0D4ECB8A5SWD/why-have-no-fragments-of-the-body-been-found%23add-answer) [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ] [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/tunguska-event/questions/QST0D4ECB8A5SWD/why-have-no-fragments-of-the-body-been-found%23add-evidence) [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ] [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/tunguska-event/questions/QST0D4ECB8A5SWD/why-have-no-fragments-of-the-body-been-found%23add-question) [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ] [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/tunguska-event/questions/QST0D4ECB8A5SWD/why-have-no-fragments-of-the-body-been-found%23add-source) Where it fits 1908 Tunguska event **Why have no fragments of the body been found?** Key question · you're here [Is Lake Cheko a crater made by a fragment in 1908?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tunguska-event/questions/QST0D4ECBG47348/is-lake-cheko-a-crater-made-by-a-fragment-in-1908)Most likely · the lake is an older thermokarst or river-plain lake unrelated to the event [ Ask a question under this one ]