A British researcher offered a controversial statement as he anticipates that an Armageddon-grade impact between our planet and an asteroid or a meteorite could take place at some point in the future. The event will not take place during our lifetime, but it is inevitable, and more needs to be done to implement robust defense strategies.
More than 2000 objects, among which we can count comets and asteroids, are being tracked by scientists while new ones are being found every day. Earth hasn’t been struck by a large-scale rock since the dinosaurs went extinct in the aftermath of a clash that took place 66 million years ago.
Smaller objects tend to burn in the atmosphere in most cases, but they have the potential to wreak havoc in some cases. In 2013 a superbolide meteor exploded above a populated area in Russia. The shock pulse generated by the explosion was so strong that it shattered the windows of approximately 7,200 buildings.
A UK Researcher Worries That An Asteroid Could Hit Earth
Some people also suffered injuries as they ran and tried to hide. Several space agencies are working on planetary defense projects that could help Earth to avoid any potential threats. A mission organized by the ESA will be launched in 2024 to explore the movement of a smaller asteroid moon that shifted its course due to the influence of an earlier spacecraft.
Astronomers are also hard at work as they identify and classify the asteroids that are located in the Kuiper Belt, a region located beyond Neptune. Many experts hope that the missions run by NASA and ESA will pave the way towards the development of an asteroid shield system.
NASA plans to test a kinetic impactor that could be used against rocks that follow a dangerous trajectory. A spacecraft would crash on the surface and shift the trajectory towards a safer direction.
It remains to be seen what will happen in the future.