Beyond global warming, fiery chunks of massive celestial bodies rocketing towards earth may be our final impact and completely out of our control.
Around 65 million years ago a massive nine mile-wide asteroid broke into massive meteorites and slammed into earth and literally changed the course of history. The explosion of this asteroid that blew up into huge meteorites caused a tremendous amount of smoke and dust to be released into the earth's atmosphere. The blast was equivalent to over one hundred-fifty times the strength of a nuclear bomb. Scientists believe that this thick layer of dust and smoke blocked the light of the sun from reaching earth for many months. Without the sun, the plants on earth died. As a result the plant-eating dinosaurs died and then the meat-eating dinosaurs became extinct since their food source was gone. This chain of events was catastrophic to life on earth and it all may have started with an asteroid from space on a collision course.
Occasionally, gravity may tug an asteroid out of its own asteroid belt and this can send it hurling towards earth. Once the asteroid reaches the earth's atmosphere it usually blows up into huge pieces of meteoroids. When a meteoroid collides with the earth, it explodes again. Most of the time, meteorites land in the ocean, as the surface of the earth is 70% water. It is highly unlikely that any person will ever have an encounter or be harmed by a meteorite hitting the earth.
Scientists are familiar with over 4,000 asteroids and their orbits. They are always observing the heavens to make sure that none come too close to earth. If an asteroid is set on a path of hitting the earth, scientists sometimes try to push it out of its orbit or blow it up in space. Over 90% of asteroids are between Mars and Jupiter. This area is called the “asteroid belt.”
Asteroids are really small, rocky minor planets as they do orbit the sun. There are millions of unknown asteroids of various sizes. Most asteroids are no larger than your average house. 2Pallas and 4Vesta both have diameters of 500 km.
Ceres is even larger, but is no longer recognized as an asteroid but as a “dwarf planet” similar to Pluto. Ceres and other major celestial bodies were most likely formed in much the same way as other planets in the solar system.
A massive asteroid striking a planet can do catastrophic damage. The planet Uranus is tilted on its side and scientists speculate that it was at some point hit by a tremendous asteroid knocking it off balance and flipping it over!
Millions of meteoroids fly past earth each day. These meteoroids are pieces of what once formed a massive asteroid in space. These meteoroids are white hot from friction and have a trail of burning, illuminating gases. The streak of light in the sky is called a meteor. A shooting star is considered to be a meteor
One of the largest and heaviest meteorites to crash into earth is still lying in the same place in Namibia, Africa. Scientists believe that it fell to earth thousands of years ago and it weighs an immense 60 tons!
In Arizona, there is an enormous crater that was probably created by a meteorite that was 150 feet wide, as the crater is 560 feet deep!
While it is unlikely that a gigantic asteroid would be launching its way in earth's path, one thing is likely. If such an event did occur all life on earth could very well be destroyed just as scientists speculate it was 65 million years ago.
Are we on a course of deadly impact to extinction?
This is a well placed written article that surely should be getting the views. I predict that once it is discovered-it will be big. Congrats.
#4 by A dynamite piece! (AS ALWAYS!), Jul 15, 2008
:)
#5 by PEB, Aug 2, 2008
This is an amazingly, outstanding article on astroids. Awesome! Thank you for such incredible and horrific research.
"If a meteorite fell in my backyard;
would it break me out of my writers block?"
PEB
