NASA scientists argue that the lack of time to prepare for an asteroid or comet collision could leave Earth open to an ‘extinction level’ event.
The odds of an asteroid or comet colliding into Earth is highly unlikely. Approximately, every 60 million years there is a chance of a major asteroid or comet colliding with Earth. In addition, the last major asteroid collision led to the extinction of dinosaurs.
However, experts warn that humans are not prepared for such a collision. Researchers at NASA are calling for a plan to protect Earth from an asteroid. In fact, researchers argue the best way to protect Earth is by building a rocket, in case an asteroid is headed our way.
The biggest issue surrounding asteroids and comets headed towards planet Earth and how to save humanity centers around time.
Dr. Joseph Nuth, a space scientist and researcher at NASA, argues that the possibility of an asteroid collision with an asteroid is possible but, the lack of a plan to stop it is worrisome.
Nuth asserts that it would take approximately five years to prepare for space mission similar to the Bruce Willis movie ‘Armageddon’. However, asteroids and comets have unpredictable trajectories. While being a great story line for Hollywood, the possibility of using the plan in ‘Armageddon’ would not work.
Consequently, Nuth argues it would be in the world’s best interest to design a rocket on top of an observer spaceship. By adding a rocket to a spacecraft, it would decrease the amount of time it would take to launch a rocket into space to either destroy or deflect the projectile.
Nuth points out that in the past two years, Earth has had two major close calls. In 1996, a comet was headed towards Earth but luckily hit Jupiter instead. Again, in 2014, a comet passed near by Mars.
66 million years ago, Earth’s biggest creatures, dinosaurs, roamed the planet. Until, scientists say an Asteroid smashed into earth. Debris from the collision entered the Earth’s atmosphere changing the environment. This in turn, led to the extinction of 75% of all species including plants and animals that existed 66 million years ago.