N2NH
03-21-2013, 08:37 AM
NASA chief Charles Bolden has advice on how to handle a large asteroid headed toward New York City: Pray.
and...
"An asteroid of that size, a kilometer or bigger, could plausibly end civilization," White House science advisor John Holdren told legislators at the same hearing.
But only about 10 percent of an estimated 10,000 potential "city-killer" asteroids, those with a diameter of about 165 feet have been found, Holdren added.
On average, objects of that size are estimated to hit Earth about once every 1,000 years.
"From the information we have, we don't know of an asteroid that will threaten the population of the United States," Bolden said. "But if it's coming in three weeks, pray."
An asteroid ... a kilometer or bigger could plausibly end civilization. White House science advisor John Holdren
In addition to stepping up its monitoring efforts and building international partnerships, NASA is looking at developing technologies to divert an object that may be on a collision course with Earth.
"The odds of a near-Earth object strike causing massive casualties and destruction of infrastructure are very small, but the potential consequences of such an event are so large it makes sense to takes the risk seriously," Holdren said.
Well that's an eye-opener.
Large Asteroid Heading to Earth? Pray, Says NASA (http://www.wunderground.com/news/asteroid-threat-earth-nasa-20130320)
and...
"An asteroid of that size, a kilometer or bigger, could plausibly end civilization," White House science advisor John Holdren told legislators at the same hearing.
But only about 10 percent of an estimated 10,000 potential "city-killer" asteroids, those with a diameter of about 165 feet have been found, Holdren added.
On average, objects of that size are estimated to hit Earth about once every 1,000 years.
"From the information we have, we don't know of an asteroid that will threaten the population of the United States," Bolden said. "But if it's coming in three weeks, pray."
An asteroid ... a kilometer or bigger could plausibly end civilization. White House science advisor John Holdren
In addition to stepping up its monitoring efforts and building international partnerships, NASA is looking at developing technologies to divert an object that may be on a collision course with Earth.
"The odds of a near-Earth object strike causing massive casualties and destruction of infrastructure are very small, but the potential consequences of such an event are so large it makes sense to takes the risk seriously," Holdren said.
Well that's an eye-opener.
Large Asteroid Heading to Earth? Pray, Says NASA (http://www.wunderground.com/news/asteroid-threat-earth-nasa-20130320)