The most likely cause of bruised ribs is a blow to the chest. This pushes the ribs against the surrounding muscles and the impact may bruise the ribs. While the injury is referred to as bruised ribs, the majority of the pain is caused by injuries to the surrounding muscles and rib cage cartilage.
Clouds could block St. Louis view of partial solar eclipse. A partial solar eclipse as seen from Sydney, Australia, on May 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft) Forecasters say there is a good chance today that the St. Louis area will be cloudy late this afternoon, obscuring the view of a partial solar eclipse. This partial solar eclipse, when the moon blocks the view of part of the sun, is set to begin at 4:42 p.m. Thursday, St. Louis time. Experts say it is never safe to look at a partial eclipse with the naked eye. According to NASA guidelines on how to watch it safely, people should use proper equipment and techniques.
This will be the first total solar eclipse to touch the United State since 1991 when one occurred in Hawaii, and the first coast-to-coast across the southern U.S. since 1918. The last time a total solar eclipse occurred in the greater St. Louis area was 1442. St. Louisans can expect the next one in 2505. Eclipse-chasers from around the world are expected to converge in St. Louis and the areas beyond as about half of both Kansas City and St. Louis lie within the patch of totality.