Fireball captured on video as meteor streaks across Pacific Northwest sky

Jason Jenkins captured a bright green fireball streaking across the sky on his dashboard camera while driving in southwestern Washington state. Initially mistaking it for a comet, Jenkins realized it was a meteor, a phenomenon that has been lighting up skies across the U.S. recently. Fireballs, which are particularly bright meteors, can be seen up to 80 miles above Earth. Recent sightings include a meteor over Northern California and a 7-ton meteor in Ohio that broke apart with a loud boom. NASA reported another meteor disintegrating near Houston, causing booms and even crashing through a roof. The green color of the fireball Jenkins saw is often due to magnesium and nickel in the meteor. Despite their brightness, fireballs rarely make contact with Earth, and when they do, they are hard to find unless they cause noticeable damage. QUESTION: How might increased sightings of fireballs and meteors influence public interest in space and science education?