Hot Rocket

North Korea's much publicized rocket launch went off with a bang. And a boom. The controversial launch went forward in spite of protest from the international community. Before a festive, nationalist crowd filled with press, the rocket took off...and then exploded and crashed into the ocean. Though the launch flopped, the United Nations called the act "deplorable" and the UN Security Council is meeting to discuss what everyone except North Korea sees as a test of a long-range missile. The failure is seen as a major embarrassment to new North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and many expect the pariah nation will follow this up with a nuclear test or other show of power to save face. Scientists are investigating a number of factors that may have lead to the rocket's failure, but they might begin with the fact that it was built in North Korea.