20 Feb 20
@sonhouse saidWhen asteroids hit the atmosphere there can be an explosion in the mega or even giga-tonne range, these are rare, but happen with enough frequency that they are of concern to early warning systems. I think that it's more a matter of not starting a nuclear war because a meteorite exploded in the stratosphere than looking to see if a giant killer asteroid is on its way.
@bunnyknight
It seems governments are serious in the search for dangerous asteroids because it doesn't matter where on Earth it hits, EVERYONE will be effected. So it is in the self interest of governments around the world to get together to first, detect them far enough out so we have some warning time, like ten years not ten days.
Second, to figure out the best way to de ...[text shortened]... ties on the moon and a population in many thousands so the lunarians might not want such a solution.
20 Feb 20
@deepthought saidThat's also a very good point, so if we can prevent an atomic war as well as an asteroid strike, we just might get a new lease on life, at least for a while.
When asteroids hit the atmosphere there can be an explosion in the mega or even giga-tonne range, these are rare, but happen with enough frequency that they are of concern to early warning systems. I think that it's more a matter of not starting a nuclear war because a meteorite exploded in the stratosphere than looking to see if a giant killer asteroid is on its way.
20 Feb 20
@DeepThought
Well if that happened it would be way too late for political talk to avoid a war.