Near-Earth Objects

What are the chances of a sizable rock from space crashing into the Earth? Estimates vary, of course, but it is sensible to assume about a one-in-ten chance each century. The consequences of a strike depend on the size of the object and where it hits—which means anything from a big explosion over mid-ocean to a hole the size of France and extinction of 95% or so of life forms on the planet. A small chance multiplied by a large consequence produces a compelling reason to DO SOMETHING. The something should be, at a minimum, finding and tracking objects that could hit us, and developing technologies to have the rocks not hit us.

The B612 Foundation is made up of some really smart people who are on this, and are the main group trying to bring it to the attention of you and policymakers. Read this backgrounder from a Congressional hearing. NASA’s web page on NEOs has lots of info, pics, and news (like the near-miss on Nov. 6, 2009). Even a video clips of a big NEO from far away passing between us and the moon. That was close.

See the excellent article by Gregg Easterbrook, in the June 2008 Atlantic, which describes the NEO issue. His essay also appears in Natalie Angier, ed., Best Science Writing 2009 (NY: HarperCollins, 2009).