Apophis to encounter Earth in 2036 ?

[UM-Bot]

Image credit: NASA

In Egyptian myth, Apophis was the ancient spirit of evil and destruction, a demon that was determined to plunge the world into eternal darkness. A fitting name, astronomers reasoned, for a menace now hurtling towards Earth from outerspace.

Scientists are monitoring the progress of a 390-metre wide asteroid discovered last year that is potentially on a collision course with the planet, and are imploring governments to decide on a strategy for dealing with it.

View: Full Article | Source: The Guardian

[Welsh Shaun]

Because we have never encountered any thing like this in our life time and so never been able to study anything like this, predictions of the possibilities that it will hit us, are not cast in stone. We can only hypothesise the route of the asteroid at this present time. Therefore, I believe that the world super powers should consider this as more than just a possible threat to this world.

[adkchamp]

this would be just another "Choose a year for when this world will end!" type of episode....the mayan wasn't so realistic though

[BigDaddy_GFS]

'Apophis Threarens Earth'???? Well, that's big news for 'Stargate SG-1' fans!!!

But seriously.....30 yrs is a long time for developing technology that can neutralize that threat. And also, many things can occur that will perturb or disrupt the meteor's path in that time.

Edited December 9, 2005 by BigDaddy_GFS

[Megalomania]

Gawd, so many times, have they said that things will hit Earth, and they haven't.

Why is this any different?

[Welsh Shaun]

Because the chances of something hitting us grow greater every time, perhaps?

[Bahamut_0]

oooh,poor people we'll all die...

Yup, you're all going to die *evil laugh*

*thinking positive*

=P

[frogfish]

This COULD pose a serious threat you know...

And we do have plans to deflect NEOs, but they are still faulty...Those odds do seem low, but you never know if they could rise...If does pass close enough, what a sight it would be!

[Bahamut_0]

Yeah, and in my opinion 30 years isn't much, there is a Portuguese saying:

Mais vale prevenir do que remediar.

I don't know if there is a english version of it (there probably is), but what it says is bassicaly that it is better to prevent than to heal the damage done.

Any one knows what I am talking about?

[Zking]

well so an asteroid will hit us and probably kill us off, so what we knew if nature wouldnt kill us we would do it ourselves

[v0rt3x]

oooh,poor people we'll all die...

yes, and the world can start a fresh with a new intelligent breed of humans, known as..... *drum roll*

HUMANS!!!!!!!! lol. but these ones will be better and hnave 10 fingers on each hand ..

no no, seriously, if something like that does happen, I imagine only terrorists or people with oil will get saved - stupid super powers, all completeply crooked. - ugh, at least if there was a mass extinsion of humans it would clear the world up and we wouldn't make the same mistake twice, it would be an oppurtunity to start over - which I welcome.

[v0rt3x]

This COULD pose a serious threat you know...

And we do have plans to deflect NEOs, but they are still faulty...Those odds do seem low, but you never know if they could rise...If does pass close enough, what a sight it would be!

Star Wars?