Are you concerned about the Asteroid threat?

[SpeedRacer 1]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7760659.stm
The UN thinks we should be. They want to launch a War on Asteroids or something.

The problem is, whenever the government declares a new "War on X" we seem to get more of it.

Speed Racer
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[wolfriverjoe 1,523]

Not really, the one in 2039 is not going to hit us, and when it comes back around in 2046 (same one) the chances are about 1:3000 that it'll hit. If I'm still around, I'll be 71. They don't know if it will hit in 2046 because it will come close enough in 2039 for the earth's and moon's gravitational force to change the orbit, and they won't know until after it goes by whether or not it will be a danger the next time around.
The UN is a buch of useless idiot politicians. (yes, I know, take it to SC) who can't do anything effective.
The only way a space program would stop the asteroid is if the US and Chinese and Japanese worked together without UN interference.

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[CSpenceFLY 1]

Maybe we should have a War on Assholes and empty the UN.


War on anything = $$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[FallloutboyDAoC 0]

Why be concerned about something you have no control over?

[DeNReN 0]

I say that the ones of us that played the game Asteroids as a kid in the arcade be given cushie gov jobs to sit on our asses and practice using a new super "laser" to shoot the asteroid.

[stitch 0]

Perhaps you should bust out your Tinfoil Hat to protect yourself from the Big Bad Asteroids.

"No cookies for you"- GFD
"I don't think I like the sound of that" ~ MB65
Don't be a "Racer Hater"

[quade 4]

Considering that it is one planet killing threat we might actually be able to do something about, I think it's prudent to do basic research and look for them. Even if the odds are 1:3000 in the next century, we'd be pretty stupid not to look into it. The money to develop a "pretty good" system for finding them would be miniscule compared to a lot of things and the results of NOT finding a one has the potential to do many times more damage than what it would cost.

The cost/benefit seems pretty obvious.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[wolfriverjoe 1,523]

Quote

Considering that it is one planet killing threat we might actually be able to do something about, I think it's prudent to do basic research and look for them. Even if the odds are 1:3000 in the next century, we'd be pretty stupid not to look into it. The money to develop a "pretty good" system for finding them would be miniscule compared to a lot of things and the results of NOT finding a one has the potential to do many times more damage than what it would cost.

The cost/benefit seems pretty obvious.

Yep. and the difficulty of eliminating the threat increases exponentially as it approaches earth.
1 yr or more out a Delta-Vee of only inches per second (or less) would divert it out of Earth intersection.
So why do I really believe that the human race will just ignore and/or shift resposibility for any real threat until it is far too late?
Then a "crash" program that probably won't work (none of the techniques used in the movies would work, most would make the situations worse), along with total chaos on the ground, culminating with catastrophy for the human race.
I can't quite decide if it would be a better thing for the earth and the (remainder of the) human race or not.

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[Misternatural 0]

I am only concerned if it happens during an episode of Futurama

[DeNReN 0]

I will already be trained on the super"laser" if someone hires me

[SuFantasma 0]

Quote

Maybe we should have a War on Assholes and empty the UN.


War on anything = $$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Lets have a WAR on WAR .... Winner takes all

Y yo, pa' vivir con miedo, prefiero morir sonriendo, con el recuerdo vivo".
- Ruben Blades, "Adan Garcia"

[tbrown 26]

If I knew for sure it was coming back to hit us, I'd stop making house payments and make a whole lot more skydives.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[mnealtx 0]

Quote

War on Asteroids

Eat more fiber.

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[shropshire 0]

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[futuredivot 0]

No kids, be dead before it happens-not my problem

You are only as strong as the prey you devour

[Baksteen 84]

I heard the film "Deep Impact" was aired recently..
The scientists must've thought they were watching CNN..

"That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport."
~mom

[Amazon 7]

Just remember.... there are plenty of rocks and other stuff out there and the planet has had numerous mass extinctions in the geologic record.

The impacts with Jupiter a few years ago showed us it can happen.

At this point, the Earth is a single point of failure for our species. Perhaps if we put just a wee bit more effort into making sure nothing big and earth changing is coming our way we might avoid something hitting us tha might be a complete game changer for our species

[JohnRich 4]

I think the Astros baseball team is so bad this year that they're not going to be a threat to anyone.