The universe is a strange place. Events millions of years in the past can affect events in the present. In this case two asteroids collided 500 million years ago and destroyed each other, sending pieces into new orbits and eventually under Jupiter's influence some became earth crossers.
In this case seventeen years before the present one of those chunks, about the size of a Volkswagen, is about to enter earth's atmosphere and become a flaming meteoroid which will have profound effects that'll ripple down the years.
An Arabic couple are at a crossroads in the desert at midnight. The man wants to go to Agrabah where he believes he'll find his fortune. His wife instead wants to go to Cairo where she has family who'll help her in her labors. They have reached an impasse and in trying to break it he suggests they flip a coin. She shakes her head, knowing how well he can control the coin and suggests they seek a more heavenly sign.
Laughing, he called out. "Give us a sign, Allah. Should we go to Agrabah?" Silence. He paused and said with a grin. "Or should we go to Cairo?" Silence. He turns to his wife. "I'll try the coin now."
"Please wait a minute and then you can flip your darn coin and send us to Agrabah." She retorted. She raised her hands. "Please, Allah, gives us a sign if we should go to Cairo."
He cocked his head and then said with a grin. "Call louder as I think he's busy elsewhere."
It is then the sky lit up and a bright arc of light streaked across it towards Cairo. Seconds later there was a sonic boom followed by large reports as the meteoroid broke up into hundreds of meteorites.
She smiled at him. "We're going to Cairo." And with that she started walking down the north road.
He stared at the now silent sky and shook his head in wonder. "By Allah, how did she do that? Then he hurried after her.
One event five hundred million years in the past has changed everything. Aladdin will be born in Cairo and not Agrabah.