In spite of all our differences, the one thing that binds all living creatures is that we each have an expiration date. This finality to our existence is what makes life special, something to be cherished and protected. But occasionally things can go terribly wrong…
NASA took the unusual step of issuing a press release to discount the prediction by a student astronomer of a catastrophic asteroid collision with Earth.
The Near-Earth Object Program Office at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, maintains its current estimates for the very low probability (1 in 45,000) of an Earth impact by the asteroid Apophis in 2036. Apophis is estimated to be about 1,000 feet (320 meters) in diameter. If it were to strike Earth, Apophis would not be a planet-killer, but it could certainly generate significant regional damage and depending on where it struck, it has the potential to kill millions of people, experts say.
A young German student claims the Apophis impact probability is far higher because of the possibility of a collision with an artificial satellite during the asteroid’s close approach in April 2029. However, NASA believes the asteroid will not pass near the main belt of geosynchronous satellites in 2029, and the chance of a collision with a satellite is exceedingly remote.
