Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

We're all gonna die!!...uhm...in 2014, that is.

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • We're all gonna die!!...uhm...in 2014, that is.

    Giant asteroid could hit Earth in 2014
    Tuesday, September 2, 2003 Posted: 7:29 AM EDT (1129 GMT)


    LONDON, England (Reuters) -- A giant asteroid is heading for Earth and could hit in 2014, U.S. astronomers have warned British space monitors.

    But for those fearing Armageddon, don't be alarmed -- the chances of a catastrophic collision are just one in 909,000.

    Asteroid "2003 QQ47" will be closely monitored over the next two months. Its potential strike date is March 21, 2014, but astronomers say that any risk of impact is likely to decrease as further data is gathered.

    On impact, it could have the effect of 20 million Hiroshima atomic bombs, a spokesman for the British government's Near Earth Object Information Centre told BBC radio.

    The Centre issued the warning about the asteroid after the giant rock was first observed in New Mexico by the Lincoln Near Earth Asteroid Research Program.

    "The Near Earth Object will be observable from Earth for the next two months and astronomers will continue to track it over this period," said Dr Alan Fitzsimmons, one of the expert team advising the Centre.

    Asteroids such as 2003 QQ47 are chunks of rock left over from the formation of the solar system 4.5 billion years ago. Most are kept at a safe distance from the Earth in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

    But the gravitational influence of giant planets such as Jupiter can nudge asteroids out of these safe orbits and send them plunging towards Earth.
    Time enough I think to organize world government and reconfigure all our nukes so that they're aiming at outer space.
    "People sit in chairs!" - Bobby Baccalieri

  • #2
    Good, I hope it wipes us out...
    To us, it is the BEAST.

    Comment


    • #3
      Yes, but would that be time to adjust our nukes for deep-range, long term space flight in order to hit this big rock or shall we fire at it when it's actually above a major city?
      Exult in your existence, because that very process has blundered unwittingly on its own negation. Only a small, local negation, to be sure: only one species, and only a minority of that species; but there lies hope. [...] Stand tall, Bipedal Ape. The shark may outswim you, the cheetah outrun you, the swift outfly you, the capuchin outclimb you, the elephant outpower you, the redwood outlast you. But you have the biggest gifts of all: the gift of understanding the ruthlessly cruel process that gave us all existence [and the] gift of revulsion against its implications.
      -Richard Dawkins

      Comment


      • #4
        Wow, we have a Near Earth Object Information Centre? Good to know that they've got their priorities right.
        "Paul Hanson, you should give Gibraltar back to the Spanish" - Paiktis, dramatically over-estimating my influence in diplomatic circles.

        Eyewerks - you know you want to visit. No really, you do. Go on, click me.

        Comment


        • #5
          Only Ben Affleck and Bruce Willis can save us now!
          If I'm posting here then Counterglow must be down.

          Comment


          • #6
            If it hits LA then I'm cool with it.
            Try http://wordforge.net/index.php for discussion and debate.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Oerdin
              If it hits LA then I'm cool with it.
              I'm hoping for Texas. ::fingerscrossedsmiley::
              To us, it is the BEAST.

              Comment


              • #8
                I am always amused by this sort of quote

                astronomers say that any risk of impact is likely to decrease as further data is gathered.


                What happens when they get one where the risk of impact goes up as they gather more data? Anyway, how does gathering the data alter the path of the asteroid so it doesn't hit us - either it is on a collision course or it isn't.
                Never give an AI an even break.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Sample size. We can have more confidence on the asteroid's path if we had (say) 300 data points, as opposed to (say) 30.
                  oh god how did this get here I am not good with livejournal

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Why do they even keep reporting that stuff? I'm getting tired. As always, in a month they will say the the asteroid will pass earth.

                    If they were to observe something and find out the chances are 1 in a 1000, well, then announce.
                    Solver, WePlayCiv Co-Administrator
                    Contact: solver-at-weplayciv-dot-com
                    I can kill you whenever I please... but not today. - The Cigarette Smoking Man

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Vlad Antlerkov
                      Sample size. We can have more confidence on the asteroid's path if we had (say) 300 data points, as opposed to (say) 30.
                      and because its still quite far away from us, even slight differences (errors) could be hundreds of thousands of miles

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Solver
                        If they were to observe something and find out the chances are 1 in a 1000, well, then announce.
                        Because if they announce stuff people (dumb people) will get scared. The people will then demand that their govermnet do something about this, thus securing funding for the programmes.
                        If I'm posting here then Counterglow must be down.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          And they get interviewed when their story is put in the paper. It makes them feel important.
                          I'm building a wagon! On some other part of the internets, obviously (but not that other site).

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            And if it turns out that this particular rock has our planet's name on it? What then? Nuke it and turn it into a shower of irradiated smaller rocks? 10 years isn't very long to figure out a reliable way of diverting an asteroid when the current state of progress is a bunch of whacky proposals on how it might be done by people who would like the money to indulge in further speculation.
                            Never give an AI an even break.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by CerberusIV
                              10 years isn't very long to figure out a reliable way of diverting an asteroid when the current state of progress is a bunch of whacky proposals on how it might be done by people who would like the money to indulge in further speculation.
                              Stop it? Why'd you want to do that? Use the time to scout out a good seat.
                              Rethink Refuse Reduce Reuse

                              Do It Ourselves

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X