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120,000 km Is Still Too Close

Posted by timothy on from the ha-ha-missed-again dept.

texchanchan writes: "BBC report: '...on 14 June, an asteroid (maybe as big as 120 meters in diameter)... made one of the closest-ever recorded approaches to the Earth. ..' but was only discovered three days later. This is well within the moon's orbit. 'If 2002MN had hit the Earth, it would have caused local devastation similar to that which occurred in Tunguska, Siberia, in 1908...'"

4 of 546 comments (clear)

  1. Clendathu by GuyMannDude · · Score: 5, Funny

    Every time we hear about one of these it's closer than the last time.

    Is somebody aiming these things?

    Analysis shows that they are originating from a far-away planet. An ugly planet. A bug planet.

    GMD

    --
    watch this
  2. Don't worry by Washizu · · Score: 5, Funny

    We'll see any real asteroid threats about 3 days sooner.

    --
    OddManIn: A Game of guns and game theory.
  3. It *did* impact... by chinton · · Score: 5, Funny

    And it appears to have crashed into the BBC's web server...

  4. Are we expecting... by Wolfier · · Score: 5, Funny

    8:03 P.M. EST

    Bush declares a "War on Asteroids".

    Bush: Our nation faces a threat to our freedoms, and the stakes could not be higher. We are the target of enemies who boast they want to kill -- kill all Americans, kill all Jews, kill all Christians, kill all Muslims, and kill all mankind. We've seen that type of hate before -- although they're near misses, the only possible response is to confront it, and to defeat it.

    This enemy tries to hide behind a peaceful cosmos, yet its murderous intent is obvious.

    We will, no doubt, face new challenges. Make no mistake. Although we have absolutely no idea where you are, when you'll come, or even how big you are - wherever you are, whether in our solar system, in our galaxy, and outside the galaxy, we WILL track you down, and we'll defeat you.

    Thank you.

    [APPLAUSE]