Skip to main content

What would humanity do if an asteroid were to impact Earth?

In February 2013 an asteroid of 19 meters in diameter flew over the skies of Russia and did not hit the Earth exactly, but if it exploded over the city of Chelyabinsk, the shock wave of the explosion in the air caused the Most windows and stained glass will explode causing more than 1,500 wounded.

This event, fortunately without fatalities, served to remind the world that the Earth is continually white from small and medium-sized asteroids, and that in any moment could be reached by a devastating one, like the one that hit Siberia at the beginning of the 20th century, or apocalyptic, like the one that ended the dinosaurs and caused the last great extinction of species 65 million years ago.h2> What would humanity do if an asteroid were to impact the earth?

Although most astronomers do not believe that we are in danger of being impacted in the next 50 years by an asteroid similar to the one that I finish with the dinosaurs (9.5 km in diameter), they do not completely rule out the possibility of an unpleasant surprise.In 2004 a 274 meter wide asteroid was detected, Apophis , in progress towards the Earth and a possible impact was estimated in 2029, but later calculations indicated that it would pass more than 80,000 kilometers, which is not much distance in astronomical terms.

For several years the European Space Agency has been carrying out monitoring and evaluation through an office of observation of activities of objects close to Earth, and has made impact simulations in order to establish a protocol of activities to present the threat of an extraterrestrial impact.

The steps of this protocol include monitoring, early detection of the threat, precise description of the object (size, composition, speed, etc.), determination of date and time of impact and precise location of the place where it will collide with the Land.Having this information would allow governments and international entities to take appropriate measures both to avoid the impact, if possible, and to establish contingency plans (evacuation, medical and humanitarian care, etc.).

What would humanity do if an asteroid were to impact Earth?

Asteroid size

Of course, if the asteroid is 10 kilometers or more, the only measure to take would be to put things in order with the world and the gods, and close the eyes, as in the extraordinary movie Melancholy , from Danish Lars von Trier…

Or not? Since the 90s of last century, in organisms such as NASA, alternatives to destroy or divert any large-sized object that threatens to impact the Earth are evaluated.Options include the use of nuclear missiles (destruction of the asteroid, as in the Armagedon and Deep Impact ) movies; of a powerful laser beam (shots from the Earth and from spacecraft to make it release gases and cause its diversion); gravitational traction (a ship that harnessing the force of gravity changes the course of the object); and until the landing and installation of solar candles to change its course.

But none of these plans will work if the threat is not detected well in advance.Since 1998, following orders from the US Congress, NASA has allocated resources to detect and follow asteroids and comets of the solar system that may constitute a threat; for this it has the global network of astronomical terrestrial observatories and some of the time of some of the space telescopes.This activity requires personnel and financial and technological resources that governments are not always willing to give.It is a too abstract threat, although present, and of a type of space science that generates little profit from the political point of view

It is estimated that there are more than 10 million asteroids and comets of various sizes in the outer solar system with which at some point we could cross.

What would humanity do if an asteroid were to impact Earth?

It should be a priority to look at those who can harm us.65 million years ago dinosaurs could not do anything to change their destiny, we could.

And you? Do you think that at some point we will see an asteroid hit Earth, will it be our end? Follow our page with the article Theories about the end of the world.

Images: andrewsrj, Eduardo Mueses, NASA Blueshift

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Did the Egyptians know the sperm ?!

We have dedicated many articles to Egypt, among them: "the doctors of ancient Egypt", "Hitler's bewildering love for Nefertiti", "the Book of the Dead"...Today we want to present a anecdote more than Curious: A sperm appears on an exterior relief of the Luxor Temple.After discovering it, the researchers, like you, wondered, is it really a sperm? Judging by the image, it is exactly the same as one...We discover the answer to the riddle! The sperm of the Temple of Luxor In the exterior of the Temple of Luxor There is a religious scene in which the God Amon-Min appears with a erection, ejaculating, in which a sperm is perfectly represented (as you can see in the following video). How can it be? How could the Egyptians know sperm if they are only visible with a microscope of at least 1080 magnification? The God Min is one of the oldest deities of Egypt , appears in the pre-Dynastic era; he is represented as a man with erect penis...

The countries with the most empathetic population in the world. You'll be surprised!

Do you know what empathy is? It is a feeling that seeks to accompany the pain or suffering of a person, If we see that someone suffers and we understand their situation and accompany them emotionally, this means that we are empathic.In which countries can we find the population more empathy? Can you guess it? The result may surprise you a lot. Countries with the most empathic population in the world You will be surprised! The Michigan State University conducted a study, recently published in the Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, to determine where the most empathic population was in 64 countries in which the study was conducted .To do this, 104,000 people were interviewed online. The interview format mediates the compassion felt by the people and the ability to put themselves in the place of another .The results obtained are quite surprising, and it was found that the higher the level of empathy, people are n more kind, responsible, more willing to help others and more...

Haboob, the frightening sand monster

Haboob or «strong wind» is a word that comes from Arabic and defines this great impact atmospheric phenomenon, where nature roars and rises in the form of a walking wall, a monster that He advances with dust, sand and other debris, and he likes to make an appearance in arid scenarios. He may say the word "Haboob" Desert countries, Arab or African scenarios come to mind where aridity occasionally brings this monster that rises several kilometers above the ground.Not at all.Haboob is also often formed in United States, New Mexico, in Australia or Japan. You may even have seen this terrifying phenomenon in person, not without that, of great danger, but also of great beauty. We invite you today to know more about Haboob. The sand giant, Haboob There is something that always attracts attention in Haboob.E It's hard to prevent, and depending on where we are, it will originate in one way or another.In the United States, for example, it can be triggered after a...

Things we only know that we have unusual pets

When talking about pets, the first thing we think is about dogs and cats .We love them, there is no doubt, however, it is also common that in many homes there are birds, guinea pigs , fish, rabbits, hedgehogs...Snakes and even aranas maximum love and enthusiasm. Why not? While it is true that it is always advisable that these exotic species are in their natural environments, it is common that in recent years, they already habitually inhabit our homes. Things we only know and have experienced the that we have unusual pets Little pigs, macaws, foxes and even ostriches in some cases, are sometimes members of more than one family that force us to see the day to day in another way and, above all, to Learn.We are sure that if you have some "uncommon" pet, you will feel identified with these aspects. 1.Those desperate searches on the Internet to understand more about our pets Suddenly, we see that one of those beautiful tropical fish that we have bought, starts swimming ...

Can you solve this Math Challenge of 7? | Do it in 7 seconds

You already know that we love the whole team to ask you logical riddles, such as The riddle of coffee cups, and some other mathematical challenge to make you think.We are sure that you are one of those bright and fast minds and that you can give solution to the next mathematical challenge that we bring you. To curl the curl, and since the mathematical operation goes from number 7, we challenge you to find the solution on 7 seconds, do you dare? The best thing about math is that they do not allow interpretations, either it is white or black, or it is correct or incorrect, so you should know that the mathematical challenge that we present below has only one solution. Presentation of the mathematical challenge The following algebra problem is apparently very simple to solve, however, it is true frustrating entity to see how most people give a wrong solution to the mathematical operation. The next mathematical challenge was presented by Presh Talwalkar, presenter of the MindYo...

The mirror syndrome, a modern evil

The mirror syndrome is an idea that attempts to transmit numerous psychologists and psychiatrists about a very common behavior today.People, society and almost all the scenarios that surround us , are inhabited by hundreds of mirrors; Think about it for a moment... Mirrors in clothing stores, in shops, in work centers...Televisions are mirrors to reflect on, just like magazines and numerous publications that we receive in our social networks.People observe and try to reflect in these media.At the moment when we take "self-awareness" through these mirrors, the problem appears on numerous occasions.The drama. Am I the one who reflects the mirror? Is it true that I have so many defects? Why are the images that I see around me so ideal and I so imperfect? It is here that what many begin to call "the mirror syndrome" arises.A clear distortion between what we see and what we are.Between what is in the mirror and what my brain actually sees. The importance o...

Why are we born with clear eyes?

At birth, it is common for babies to have a different eye color than they will later have.Many breasts, many potatoes and, above all, many grandmother, go crazy at the idea of ​​having a small blue eyes -as if the dark eyes that everyone in the family has were something bad-What a shame they take after, when they see that they have finally inherited the familiar eye color!

Untersberg: the mountain with a portal to another world

Untersberg, is, so to speak, the triangle of Bermuda on the mainland.A portal that, according to urban legend and ancient legends in the area, is capable of transporting to people to other places without hardly realizing it.Are they in the Alps and suddenly situated in the middle of Egypt? Hard to believe, no doubt, but disappearances in this rock mass are frequent.The mystery housed in this kind of challenging ram of the Alps is such that even Hitler himself became obsessed with Untersberg. Do you want to join us in this brief journey through the mystery? ? Untersberg, the sleeping mountain Untersberg is a massif of the Berchtesgaden Alps , a prominent natural formation that extends along the border between Berchtesgaden, Germany and Salzburg.Your height? 1,973 meters.It is beautiful and imposing, and interesting is also the old legend that hides in these green places.There is talk of a king in the mountains, the very emperor Federico Barbarroja. He is sound asleep, an...

Summer Winter…? There are stations where you think better!

Did you know that there are certain seasons of the anus in which your brain thinks better? A study has proved it! Summer, winter...? There are seasons where you think better! We have all noticed how the seasons of the year influence our mood, making us happier in summer and sadder in the winter season.that we did not know is that they can also affect our intellectual capacity. According to a recent study, carried out by researchers from the University of Liège (Belgium) and published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), depending on the season of the year that is our intellectual capacity becomes more effective or less. In that study, researchers analyzed 14 men and 14 women, with an average of 21 years of age, at different times of the year between May 2010 and October 2011. The participants were 4 and a half days in laboratories where could not perceive the changes that occurred in the outside world, such as the t At this time it was o...

Most common sleep disorders do you suffer from any?

Having a quiet and peaceful sleep is undoubtedly one of the healthiest things for humans, but it is not always easy, there are many people who experience not only long nights of insomnia, but curious alterations that end up causing small damage in their daily lives, as is the case, for example, of falling asleep in unexpected places without us noticing...Has it ever happened to you? Sleep disorders most common, do you have any? Let's take a brief look at the most common sleep disorders . Sleep apnea At first glance it seems silly, but it is not at all.Sleep apnea syndrome is one of the most frequent sleep disorders and has to do with our breathing .What is it about? It basically focuses on difficulty in breathing while we sleep, suffering small collapses in our pathways.They either narrow or block preventing the air from coming out normally.but keep in mind that what happens basically is that "we are drowning," and that breathing is interrupted or stops occ...