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Death Star Science: The Physics Of Destroying An Earth-Sized Planet

StartsWithABang writes: The ability to destroy an Alderaan-like (or, ahem, Earth-like) planet has long been the dream of slashdotters everywhere. But generating the power necessary to unbind a planet — some 2.24 x 10^32 Joules — is simply impossible on board an object only the size of a small moon. But if, instead, you could house a 1-2 trillion ton asteroid (about 5-7 km across) made of antimatter and deliver it to the planet's core, Einstein's E=mc^2 ensures that the planet will be destroyed in seconds.

2 of 173 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Easier solutions by iggymanz · · Score: 3, Funny

    Ethan 'Bubblegum' Tate: We need some kind of Doomsday device to create an implosion like that.

    Professor Hubert Farnsworth: Doomsday device? Aha! Now the ball's in Farnsworth's court.

    [pulls on a lever; a platform appears with several Doomsday devices]

    Professor Hubert Farnsworth: I suppose I can part with one and still be feared.

  2. Re:Obligatory by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    "poke a whole" what? A whole *what* you illiterate clod?