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Introducing Asteroid 2004 MN4
Numerous readers wrote in with bits about a potential asteroid collision: "The recently discovered asteroid 2004 MN4 is currently listed as having a 1/233 chance of hitting the Earth. It is 420 m across and if it strikes the Earth it will release an energy of 1,900 Megatons of TNT (the largest nuclear weapon ever detonated, Tsar Bomba had a yield of only 50 Megatons). It is also the only asteroid that currently has a Torino scale value of 2." So, in summary, there's a 1-in-233 chance of the worst disaster in recorded history happening on April 13, 2029, and a 232-in-233 chance of nothing happening. Have a nice day! Update: 12/24 22:14 GMT by M : The rock is now rated a 4 on the Torino scale, or a 1-in-62 chance of impact.
this would be the best birthday present ever!!!!
The explanation I heard was that it's superstition built around the Christian story of Jesus' death, and the last supper.
Jesus died on "Good Friday", and at the last supper, he was sitting with his twelve disciples. 13 people at the table, on a Friday, and the leader gets killed.
Of course, since the death of Jesus is supposedly considered the high-point in Christianity (with Easter being the most important Christian holiday), this explanation seems slightly counterintuitive to me. Of course, superstition never really needs to make sense, I guess.
The resurection is the high point, not the torture and death.
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I, for one, will welcome our new asteroid overlord.
(let the flames begin)