If an asteroid hits the Earth...

Electrofreak · 2006-07-09, 12:47 AM

http://www.break.com/index/meteor_hits_earth.html

We're all fucked.

kurushio95 · 2006-07-09, 01:08 AM

too bad the odds of that actually happening are ininitely slim. even if a monstrous asteroid were hurtling towards earth, satellites and telescopes would pick that thing up in time for us to launch just about every nuke we have at it

Setari · 2006-07-09, 01:11 AM

If we explode, we explode. Big deal. Something's gotta happen sometime.

Infernus · 2006-07-09, 01:12 AM

I'm not too worried about the asteroids. I'm much more worried about the sickos that have the spare time to not only come up with doomsday theories but actually create fully detailed scenarios.

ALSO: I think some of that footage was stolen from the beginning of Titan A.E.

kurushio95 · 2006-07-09, 01:21 AM

wouldn't that rock if it was?

LimpBIT · 2006-07-09, 01:37 AM

Originally Posted by Setari

If we explode, we explode. Big deal. Something's gotta happen sometime.

yea thats basically the way I look at things

Electrofreak · 2006-07-09, 01:54 AM

Originally Posted by kurushio95

too bad the odds of that actually happening are ininitely slim. even if a monstrous asteroid were hurtling towards earth, satellites and telescopes would pick that thing up in time for us to launch just about every nuke we have at it

Sure it's slim, but it's possible. If it does happen, the problem is we don't have any nukes that can go far enough to actually divert an asteroid enough to miss the Earth, and if we DO hit it, it'll likely just knock a chip off the rock, break it into large fragments (doing even more widespread damage) and shower us with our own nuclear fallout.

Scientists propose that the only real way to divert an asteroid threat is to have a year or so forewarning. This is difficult in and of itself as judging the movement and intersection of distant objects in space requires a LOT of accuracy in calculating. The best we can do currently is make a list of possible threats, track them and try to refine our data until we have a high enough probability to take action. Scientists would then need to and deploy a specially designed space-faring nuclear warhead that can intercept the asteroid months before impact. The warhead would detonate to the side of the asteroid, perhaps moving it's trajectory a small fraction of a degree off-course, turning impact into a near-miss.

There really is no chance for a last-second defense. We need plenty of forwarning, and astronomers aren't able to track every potential doomsday rock in the solar system. I'm not saying you should be practicing curling up in a fetal position and whimpering, but on the off chance a rock does show up coming at us real fast, we're in for some trouble.

Mag-Mower · 2006-07-09, 02:10 AM

I dont think that would happen... Ill post an explanation later, 2:15am is too early to discuss this sort of thing.

Kikinchikin · 2006-07-09, 03:16 AM

Wait guys, why can't we just send up some guys and let them drill a hole in it?

kurushio95 · 2006-07-09, 04:23 AM

well, i don't know about you guys, but if there ever is a huge ass asteroid detected on a collision course with my high school, i just hope the proper authorities don't tell anyone about it and just let it happen, as there's nothing we can do about it at present

Baneblade · 2006-07-09, 05:48 AM

You call yourselves PS fans?!

Asia is going to go to another galaxy, Africa is going to go to the other side of this one, Europe is going to get shit through a grinder and turn into a weird place full of odd physics laws that will magically not allow you to use M-240Gs or SAWs, North and South America are going to suddenly become very filled with invincible trees, antarctica will always be purple...until I come along with my Ti-83 and hack the mainframe.

LimpBIT · 2006-07-09, 06:03 AM

Originally Posted by Sobekeus

You call yourselves PS fans?!

Asia is going to go to another galaxy, Africa is going to go to the other side of this one, Europe is going to get shit through a grinder and turn into a weird place full of odd physics laws that will magically not allow you to use M-240Gs or SAWs, North and South America are going to suddenly become very filled with invincible trees, antarctica will always be purple...until I come along with my Ti-83 and hack the mainframe.

that was very well thought out