Rand Expert Says To Keep Mum About Killer Asteroids

Posted by timothy on Saturday February 15, 2003 @06:51AM from the ignorance-is-the-end-of-the-world dept.

crashnbur writes "NASA is conducting a survey of the sky to find asteroids large enough that a collision with earth could 'extinction-type impact', and none studied so far will threaten us in the next 200 years. Of course, if a doomsday asteroid is discovered, the current policy is not to say a word: 'If you can't do anything about a warning, then there is no point in issuing a warning at all', says Dr. Geoffery Sommer. The issue may be making its rounds because an asteroid was discovered orbiting the sun between Venus and Earth earlier this week. Space.com presents a lengthy, four-part 'Impact Debate' (next three parts coming next three Tuesdays). Apparently we are just as likely to die by asteroid impact as in a plane crash."

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wow by reelbk · 2003-02-15 07:05 · Score: 0, Offtopic

That was the most coherent post I've ever read.

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- A real programmer uses $ cat > a.out
Ah, don't worry... by larien · 2003-02-15 07:15 · Score: 0, Offtopic

It'll burn up in our atmosphere and what's ever left will be no bigger than a chihuahua's head...
Thats pretty much my attitude towards extinction. by TXP · 2003-02-15 07:33 · Score: 0, Offtopic

I don't really like the overcrowed planet we live on. I don't like cities, I don't like towns. I would be willing to live underground or in a sterile self contained enviroment growing hydroponics powered by wind, water, geothermal or even nuclear energy. As long as I had a computer I would be ok ;) hehehe.