On February 15th, a meteor shook Russia as it entered the Earth's atmosphere above the Urals. Now, scientists believe they know where in the universe it came from. Read More >>
That little, white pixelated bean spinning around above might look more like a bad '80s video game than the near-messenger of quick and devastating apocalypse, but that's what happens when you're taking shots 74,000 miles away from your subject. What you're seeing is, in fact, 2012 DA14 at a resolution of around 13 feet per pixel over an 8 hour period just as it was mercifully passing our beautiful space marble by on the evening of February 15. Read More >>
Yesterday, we dealt with an asteroid and a meteor. The 2012 DA14 asteroid zipped past Earth and a meteor exploded over Russia. What the heck is the difference between an asteroid and a meteor? And a meteorite? And a meteoroid? Not too much, apparently! Read More >>
Google, topical as always, prepared one of its famed doodles in celebration of today's passing asteroid and the fact that we're all not post-apocalyptic shadows of our former selves. The Google Doodle team, however, couldn't have anticipated just how unfortunately relevant they actually would be following the unexpected and destructive meteor explosion over Russia. Read More >>
Featured comment by nerdfly:
"Totally agree. Like delaying the release of a movie that shows someone being murdered, because someone has been murdered in real life... in the US alo..." More »
Astronomers are completely confident that the 45-metre-wide asteroid 2012 DA14 is not going to hit us, passing "only" at 17,200 miles from Earth — the closest encounter with an asteroid ever predicted. It's a close call, but we will be safe. Given what's happened in Russia today — what would really happen if their calculations were wrong? Read More >>
The deadly asteroid Apophis is safely passing by Earth today, at more than 9 million miles (14.5 million kilometres) from our home planet. Next time we won't be so lucky. On April 13, 2029, Apophis will come so close that it may destroy satellites in orbit. Read More >>
Featured comment by OhMyGodICantBelieveItsNotButter:
"Guns are deadly, they don't have to have actually killed merely have the potential.
Should it hit populated land it would most certainly be very de..." More »
NASA must think our moon is getting lonely, because it's pondering the idea of capturing an asteroid and placing it in lunar orbit, so it has a rocky satellite all of its own. Read More >>
If you've always assumed that the idea proposed in Armageddon could save us in the face of a crisis, by destroying an asteroid to avert the destruction of Earth, think again. Physicists from Leicester University, UK, have calculated that such a feat would require a bomb a billion times stronger than the biggest bomb ever detonated on Earth. Read More >>
Lawyers always seem to just right around the corner ready to ruin our fun. Just weeks after Cameron and Google et al announced their madcap plan to go into space and mine those asteroids for precious bounty, Planetary Resources looks like it might be bogged down in red tape before it’s even got off the ground. Read More >>
Featured comment by Hyperstate:
"No registered vessel should attempt to transverse an asteroid belt without deflectors? If I had a medal, I would award it to thee! Best Red Dwarf refe..." More »
Yesterday, a group of billionaires, scientists and engineers announced what could become the most important enterprise in human history since Columbus sailed West: an asteroid mining company called Planetary Resources. They want to jump start a completely new industry between the Earth and the Moon, one that will add trillions of pounds to the world economy and ensure our prosperity for centuries to come. Read More >>
A group of billionaires and former NASA scientists are now unveiling the first asteroid mining company in history. They claim they will "add trillions of dollars to the global GDP" and "help ensure humanity's prosperity" by mining asteroids for rare metals like gold and platinum. Read More >>
Today, a group of billionaires and former NASA scientists will announce the first asteroid mining company in history. They claim they will "add trillions of dollars to the global GDP" and "help ensure humanity's prosperity" by mining asteroids for rare metals like gold and platinum. Read More >>
Featured comment by locust76:
"I would assume that during the creation of the Earth (the 4.3 billion year version, not the shimshalabim creationist version), the gravitational prope..." More »
This image was taken by the Arecibo Radar Telescope in Puerto Rico on April 2010. It shows an asteroid the size of an aircraft carrier on direct interception course with Earth's orbit. The arrival day: November 8. This is its trajectory. Read More >>
We're going to put someone on an asteroid by 2025. Crazy. But the gravity on asteroids is so weak that we won't stick to it. NASA plans to harpoon an asteroid like a giant space-whale. Now that's my kinda crazy! Read More >>
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