Real Life Andromeda Strain

Who knew that Michael Crichton could predict the future? Next thing you know there'll be dinosaurs running around eating eco-tourists and archaeology students will be able to time-travel (damn, I missed out on this one by a few years...).

It seems that an object from space (possibly a meteorite) crashed into a remote area of the Andes mountains over the weekend. Locals who have visited the site have started complaining about headaches, vomiting and nausea, possibly from toxins being released or noxious gases that are resulting from contact with the ground and groundwater. Officials are now warning people to stay away from the crater and locals are concerned that the water, which is used for themselves and their livestock, is no longer safe to drink. Experts have been called in to investigate. All I can say is that if you see a helicopter dropping off a couple of guys in HazMat suits...I'd be running for the hills.

Oh sure, unlike Crichton's novel, it doesn't sound like anyone has died yet (which is a good thing) and of course, he had to change some of the details to protect himself from naysayers (much like his fellow prognosticator, Nostradamus) but otherwise, it's the exact same thing...sort of....maybe...