Most Compact Code For A Simulated Explosion
Python, 245 chars

import random,time
R=lambda:random.randrange(-999,999)/1e3
P=[(40+20j,R()+1j*R())for i in' '*20]
for i in' '*20:
 C=([' ']*80+['\n'])*40
 for p,v in P:C[int(p.real)+81*int(p.imag)]='*'
 print''.join(C);P=[(p+v,v*.95)for p,v in P];time.sleep(.1)