Giant asteroid heading for Earth

29 July 2010 16:54 GMT / By Rik Henderson

Boffins believe that Earth could be hit by a gigantic asteroid on 24 September 2182. The 612-yard wide rock, snappily dubbed "1999 RQ36" has a one-in-a-thousand chance of colliding with the planet; higher odds than similar 'roids in the past.

María Eugenia Sansaturio from Universidad de Valladolid, who co-leads the scientific team that made the discovery, told Universe Today that knowing this asteroid poses a potential threat in the twenty-second century "may help design in advance mechanisms aimed at deviating the asteroid's path".

"The total impact probability of asteroid '(101955) 1999 RQ36' can be estimated in 0.00092 - approximately one-in-a-thousand chance", said Sansaturio. "But what is most surprising is that over half of this chance (0.00054) corresponds to 2182".

Pocket-lint reckons we should launch Bruce Willis into space right now, with a disparate team of oil rig workers.

As long as they're not from BP, that is. Otherwise the chance of impact would probably go up to one-in-ten.

What do you think? Are you afraid that we might all go the same way as the dinosaurs - become extinct and then be reanimated in CG form by the next species' version of Steven Spielberg? Let us know in the comments below...

Via: telegraph.co.uk Via: universetoday.com

Full tags

Eco, Asteroids, Earth, Armageddon