Did a Cosmic Explosion Wipe Out an Ancient City? The Mystery of Tall el-Hammam

More than 3,600 years ago, the ancient city of Tall el-Hammam suffered a catastrophic destruction. Buildings collapsed, fires burned through the settlement, and the once-thriving Bronze Age city never fully recovered. But what destroyed it?One controversial theory suggests the answer didn't come from an invading army or an earthquake. It came from the sky.Researchers have proposed that a cosmic object exploded in the atmosphere above or near Tall el-Hammam, creating an enormous airburst capable of producing extreme heat, powerful shock waves, and widespread destruction. Evidence from the site has been interpreted as showing materials exposed to extraordinary temperatures and pressures, leading some researchers to compare the event to the massive Tunguska explosion of 1908.But other scientists strongly dispute the evidence and the conclusions drawn from it. And then there is an even stranger possibility: could memories of a catastrophic event in this region have influenced the ancient story of Sodom and Gomorrah?In this episode of Strange History, Amy explores the destruction of Tall el-Hammam, the controversial cosmic airburst theory, what archaeology actually tells us, and the possibility that one terrifying day in the Bronze Age began with people simply looking up at the sky.

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