An ice ball that landed on a pavement in Douglasdale, South Africa, last week, might be one of the first "megacryometeors" recorded in Africa.
Professor Jesus Martinez-Frias of the Centro de Astrobiologica in Madrid said that despite sharing many chemical characteristics with hail, ice balls are formed under clear-sky conditions. He said that ice balls have been recorded since the 19th century. However, he also said the ice ball may be a warning of serious environmental problems.
The ice ball was about the size of a microwave oven. No injuries were reported as a result of the ice fall. The ball was initially believed to be an icefall from an airplane.