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The Social Difficulty of Saving Earth From an Asteroid

Posted by timothy on from the how-to-really-get-godzilla dept.

mantis2009 writes "When it comes to stopping a cataclysmic Earth vs. asteroid event, social science and international political leaders have more difficult questions yet unanswered than physicists do, according to report delivered at this week's American Geophysical Union meeting. Wired has a discussion of an analysis authored by former astronaut Rusty Schweickart, who worries that the international community is nowhere near ready to begin the complex and inevitably controversial task of deflecting an asteroid on a collision course with Earth. Among the questions to be answered is whether to modify the Partial Test Ban Treaty to allow nuclear weapons in outer space. Another possibility to avoid the destruction of civilization would require the international community to choose an area on the globe where an asteroid might be 'aimed.' Who would decide which nations get placed in the asteroid's crosshairs?"

3 of 391 comments (clear)

  1. The real question is by Errtu76 · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    is Bruce Willis up to the task?

  2. Someone get rid of that Flamebait mod by Gadget_Guy · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Hey nmg196, thanks for being the straight man (and to Armakuni for doing the punch line). But what's up with the moderator who gave you a flamebait mod. Shouldn't a knowledge of the Simpsons be a prerequisite for joining Slashdot? (I can forgive not knowing Southpark reference in the subject line).

  3. Not like global warming, more like CFCs by Brian_Ellenberger · · Score: 0, Offtopic
    The problem with Global Warming is that the science has been mixed far too much with anti-capitalist politicians. From Copenhagen:

    President Chavez "socialism, the other ghost that is probably wandering around this room, that’s the way to save the planet, capitalism is the road to hell....let’s fight against capitalism and make it obey us.” He won a standing ovation.

    http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/putting_our_economy_in_the_hands_of_chavez_fans What does that have to do with the technical problem of global warming? Absolutely nothing. For a better example of how everyone can cooperate see the battle against CFC emissions. That was a much more scientifically proven problem and thanks to the Montreal Protocol http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal_Protocol is now a problem under control. It didn't devolve into "evil capitalists destroying the environment" and "lets destroy all air conditions and refrigerators". There was a problem, then a technical fix.