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How a Nuclear Bomb Could Save Earth From a Stealthy Asteroid - The New York Times

How a Nuclear Bomb Could Save Earth From a Stealthy Asteroid - The New York Times

How a Nuclear Bomb Could Save Earth From a Stealthy Asteroid - The New York Times
Oct 18, 2021 49 secs

An atomic blast is not the preferred solution for planetary defense, but 3-D models are helping scientists prepare for a worst-case scenario.

One day, astronomers may spot an asteroid months away from a cataclysmic rendezvous with Earth.

“We know they’re not going to be a threat anytime soon,” said Megan Bruck Syal, a planetary defense researcher at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Such a diminutive asteroid may not sound like much of a danger compared to the 6.2-mile colossus that slammed into Earth 66 million years ago with apocalyptic results.

Bruck Syal.

But an asteroid even several years away from Earth may not be suitable for deflection.

The simulations showed that when the detonation took place two months or more ahead of the projected impact date, it was sufficient to ensure that almost every asteroid fragment that survived the blast missed Earth.

Its hopeful success will come as a relief to planetary defense officers who, perhaps more than anyone else, don’t wanna miss a thing.

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