Slashdot Mirror
What To Do About an Asteroid That Has a 1 In 625 Chance of Hitting Us In 2040?
The Bad Astronomer writes "The asteroid 2011 AG5 is 140 meters across: football-stadium-sized. Its orbit isn't nailed down well enough to say yet, but using what's currently known, there's a 1 in 625 chance it will impact the Earth in 2040. It's behind the Sun until September 2013, and more observations taken then will probably reduce the odds of impact to something close to 0. But does it make sense to wait until then to start investigating a mission to deflect it away our planet? Astronomers are debating this right now, and what they conclude may pave the way for how we deal with an asteroid threat in the future."
Am I the only one that gets terribly frustrated by statements like "the asteroid has a 1 in X chance to hit earth"?
There's no probability here - the asteroid either will or will not hit. Why can't they say just say this is the measure of uncertainty in the curve fit rather than a "chance to hit"?
"There are a dozen opinions on a matter until you know the truth. Then there is only one." - CS Lewis (paraprhase)
After all, "We're all the same", and "Diversity is our strength", right? And if you don't agree, we'll sack you from your job, or even put you in prison. Sounds like 'freedom' to me!
Seriously, does anybody expect AFRICANS to save us if an asteroid is heading for Earth?
Do any of you expect Africans to be GRATEFUL to the other races who will save them? Of course not.
Your country is being destroyed by third world immigrants. Why don't you think white people have the right to have their own countries any more?