Mystery boom heard across New England sparks speculation

WorldSpace
31 May 2026 • 5:13 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Mystery boom heard across New England sparks speculation

  • A loud boom heard across New England on Saturday afternoon was likely caused by a meteor or bolide, according to meteorologists.
  • Police departments in Massachusetts received numerous calls about the sound, with some residents reporting their homes shook.
  • Meteorologists Pamela Gardner and Eric Fisher cited satellite data, including a lightning mapper, as evidence of a possible meteor entering the atmosphere.
  • Wrentham Police Chief Bill McGrath confirmed the explosion was heard and felt throughout New England, though no damage or injuries were reported.
  • The American Meteorological Society explains that meteors can produce sonic booms by creating pressure waves as they penetrate the atmosphere at high speeds.

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