La meteora non esisteva. La bufala organizzata in combutta con la popolazione locale

Lettonia: il presunto meteorite 
di Mazslaca era uno scherzo di Tele 2

Pesce d’aprile in anticipo della compagnia telefonica
Il governo lettone: pagheranno 25.000 dollari di danni

Il cratere del presunto meteorite di Mazsalaca (Afp)

MILANO - Tutti i giornali d’Europa hanno dato grande risalto al presunto meteorite precipitato domenica scorsa nei pressi del villaggio di Mazslaca, Lettonia. Molti siti hanno anche messo un video dell’impatto e varie foto del cratere di 15 metri di diametro e 5 di profondità. Molti scienziati, però, avevano subodorato che qualcosa non andava: la radiottività nei dintorni del cratere era a livelli normali. Infatti era tutto uno scherzo.

SCHERZO - Ad organizzare il pesce d’aprile fuori stagione è stata la compagnia telefonica lettone Tele 2 che, come ha spiegato Janis Sprogis, direttore commerciale, intendeva «dimostrare al popolo che un’interessante storia è sufficiente per attirare sulla Lettonia gli occhi di tutto il mondo». Tele 2 si è detta pronta a pagare i danni, che ha quantificato in 4.000 dollari. Linda Murniece, ministro dell’Interno lettone, ha dichiarato, invece, che le autorità sanzioneranno con una multa di 25.000 dollari questo «divertente scherzo», che ha causato alcuni problemi alle forze di polizia e agli abitanti di Mazslaca.
(Corriere della Sera, 27 ottobre 2009)

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Dopo l’atterraggio dei marziani sul territorio USA annunciato da Orson Wells (ventitreenne) tramite la radio il 30 ottobre 1938, l’impatto annunciato di un meteorite sul territorio lettone notiziato dai media cartacei e televideato nel web.
In entrambi i casi eventi artificiali concepiti da un burlone intelligente in vena di “scherzi da prete” (si direbbe in lingua italiana).
In entrambi i casi destando un allarme collettivo esagerato che ha originato la mobilitazione di mezzi e persone con notevole dispendio di risorse finanziarie pubbliche.
Dei marziani inventati da Orson Wells mai atterrati sul suolo americano è stato scritto ti tutto e di più.
Del meteorite mai impattato sul suolo lettone è stato scritto ciò che si può leggere cliccando i link elencati qui di seguito:
http://www.repubblica.it/2008/12/gallerie/scienze/cratere-meteorite/1.html
http://www.agi.it/rubriche/ultime-notizie-page/200910262022-est-rom0021-lettonia_niente_meteorite_cratere_e_una_bufala_di_tele2
http://magazine.excite.it/news/29751/Lettonia-svelato-il-mistero-del-meteorite-Una-montatura-di-Tele2
http://www.corriere.it/esteri/09_ottobre_26/meteorite-lettonia_0c58ed50-c22e-11de-b592-00144f02aabc.shtml
http://www.adnkronos.com/IGN/News/Esteri/Lettonia-un-meteorite-precipita-e-apre-un-cratere-di-nove-metri-Ma-e-una-bufala-VIDEO_3914291155.html

Altro si può leggere nel comunicato ufficiale diffuso dal Latvian Istitute: indirizzato anche all’Associazione Culturale Italo-Baltica.

 The Marketing of Meteorites
by Ojars Kalnins (Director, Latvian Institute)

 Latvia twice made headlines around the world on October 26 and it had nothing to do with the economy. That’s big news.
The first time was when everyone thought that a meteorite had exploded in a field near the town of Mazsalaca. Everyone from CNN and BBC to Discover Magazine ran sensational headlines, and readers from the USA to China were running to their world maps to find out where Latvia was located. Global travel agencies were no doubt chec
king for scheduled flights to Riga International Airport and the fastest bus routes to Mazsalaca. A local entrepreneur was already selling tickets to Latvia’s suddenly famous hole in the ground.
The second round of headlines came when the “meteorite” was uncovered to be a hoax, pulled off by a local mobile phone operator. Someone had dug a big hole and filled it with burning mud. Mazsalaca’s chance to become the world’s hottest new tourist site smouldered out.
The mobile phone operator claimed they just wanted to give the people of Latvia something to smile about during the economic crisis. To a certain extent, it worked. Once it was learned that no one was hurt, no damage was done to property, and that the state would be compensated for all costs incurred by the police and fire department, most people did chuckle.
Latvia’s Minister of Interior Linda Mūrniece was not amused, but that’s understandable. Latvia’s police and firemen are overworked and underpaid, and don’t need the added stress of a silly hoax. But they did demonstrate their professionalism, as did the Latvian and Estonian scientists who visited the site, looked at the hole and said, “nice try”. If you’re wondering why Estonian scientists rushed to Latvia to check the site, it’s probably because Estonia does have a real meteor crater on the island of Saaremaa. Actually, Saaremaa has 9 such craters, the largest being Kaali, and they all seemed to have carved out a place in Estonia’s history and geology around 8 B.C. So the Estonian scientists should know a real meteor crater when they see one.
They didn’t see one in Mazsalaca, the Latvian scientists concurred, and now it’s all over except for the shouting. It’s too early to tell whether this will boost sales for the mobile operator. Some advertising gurus are praising the stunt as an act of marketing genius. Others are wondering whether the hoax was good or bad for Latvia’s image abroad. The event has once again demonstrated the power of YouTube and its lightning-like ability to create a story where there isn’t one and distribute it around the world in the blink of an eye.
Actually, the town of Mazsalaca doesn’t need a meteor to attract tourists. It is a picturesque village located near the stunning Skaņaiskalns Nature Park that features such attractions as the Devil’s Pulpit, the Dwarf’s Path, the Werewolf Pine, Angel’s Cave, and Carnations Cliff. These all came about without the help of meteors (as far as we know). The Skaņaiskalns Cliff is the highlight of any tour because as its name implies (Sound Mountain) it is famous for its resounding echoes. Since the area around Mazsalaca was first inhabited during the middle of the Stone Age around 5000 B.C., this is probably the place where they first discovered “instant messaging” long before YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook.
The idea of digging holes near Mazsalaca also isn’t new, because archaeologists have discovered 315 ancient burial sites in the area, making it the biggest known Stone Age burial site in Northern Europe.
So all in all, no harm was done, although this hoax does raise one serious concern. What if a real meteorite does one day crash into Latvia and no one comes to see it?
The Latvian Institute
The Latvian Institute (Latvijas institūts) was established by the Latvian state to provide a wide range of information about Latvia, its society, culture and history.