Request for Cosmic Collision Insurance

HobbySpacer writes "According to this article a group of distinguished citizens has sent an open letter to Congress, the President, and other world leaders to request that they begin a serious program to protect the planet from the possible impact of a comet or asteroid. The petitioners include Freeman Dyson, Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt, Neil Tyson (Director of the Hayden Planetarium) and others. They say that for "the first time in human history, we have the potential to protect ourselves from a catastrophe of truly cosmic proportions." A three phase program is urged that includes detection, exploration, and contingency planning. See the full letter at www.CongressNEOaction.org"

Comments

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[JUSTONEMORELATTE]

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I read th letter and ...

[Arthaed]

I think they are implying that the US plan of having a group of oil rig drillers ready to go, won't save us ...

Cosmic proportions

[Xylocain]

Really, am I the only one to think that even if our whole solar system would be devastated by a gigantic cosmic body (however unlikely that is) it would hardly qualify for cosmic proportions?

Maybe if a galaxy cluster was destroyed it'd be of cosmic proportions, but a tiny planet?

Nope, heh, talk about inflated self-importance. :-)

Why should this concern us?

[Embedded Geek]

After all, no one else in the past has ever seen this as a credible threat. Not previous U.S. administrations, not the British Empire, not the Romans, not the Dinosaurs...

Er, then again, maybe we should have a contingency plan.

Star Wars anyone?

[jeffkjo1]

for "the first time in human history, we have the potential to protect ourselves from a catastrophe of truly cosmic proportions." A three phase program is urged that includes detection, exploration, and contingency planning.
This plan sounds suspiciously like an excuse to put lasers in space.... I can see it now,
"My fellow citizens, in the name of securing ourselves from evil celestial bodies hurtling towards the earth and thousands of miles per hour, we are beginning an expansive program to protect each and every citizen on this great planet. These lasers will be used for peaceful purposes... we wouldn't even think of aiming them at certain nations that have restarted nuclear programs or anything like that... noooooo."

Other threats

[hondo77]

Yeah, asteroids and comets are one type of threat but what about others that we aren't expecting?:

• Black holes
• Vogons
• The Spanish Inquisition