New Size Estimate Shows Recent Near Earth Asteroid (2012 LZ1) Would Have Ended Civilization

The bad news about the asteroid 2012 LZ1, which zipped past Earth last week, is that it's actually twice as wide and a lot deadlier than we thought — a kilometer (0.6 miles) wide in its largest dimension, rather than 500 meters. The good news is that we have at least seven centuries to figure out how to fight that particular space rock.

As anyone who's seen the movie "Deep Impact" already knows, a kilometer-wide space rock is considered big enough to set off an extinction-level event if it were to hit Earth. Until this month, 2012 LZ1 was among the estimated 10 percent of potentially threatening asteroids of that size that have yet to be detected. (A collision with 500-meter-wide asteroid would rank as a horrible catastrophe, but experts don't think it would kill off civilization.)

cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com...


There's a huge difference between 500 meters and 1 kilometer. The difference is half of Austrailia being destroyed versus an extinction level event (ELE).

We have so many things to worry about that affect a statistical few, however, something like this would be game over for everyone. So, why don't we divert more funding to NASA to develop a process for more acurate and earlier detection? It appears to me that this is the biggest threat to national security.

I do not think we will last 500 years anyway ! 100 Max

So bring it on

I have been calling for some kind of planetary defense against such a threat for years.If half the money spent on weapons of war went instead we would have half a chance.But it seems our governments are only concerned with killing each other.

Originally posted by AgentX09
I have been calling for some kind of planetary defense against such a threat for years.If half the money spent on weapons of war went instead we would have half a chance.But it seems our governments are only concerned with killing each other.

And that was the downfall of our past ancient civilizations. It's definitily happened more than once, or twice. History has a way of repeating itself. If only people weren't too worried about making money for their own selfish and greed, Humanity would actually have a chance to last possibily forever. The only problem is, people worry about their life more then others. Which leads to them focusing on their accomplishment in their lifetime, hense the greed, power and all those sorts of things. Nobody ever takes the time to think about the future, not for themselves but for the future of their children, their grand children, their great grand children, on and on, and as well as the rest of Humanity as whole. Problem is, people are selfish and greedy and don't want to make the future their problem and worry about it to try and make it better because they figure they would already be dead, so why bother.

That's just how selfish most people are. Power and greed corrupts. And even though we say we would change the future if we could, question is would we? If we had power, and wealth; would we do anything to change the World? I would like to think I would, but I don't know what power and wealth does to a person. Maybe I could, maybe only a small percent of people actually can if they had power and wealth. Only problem is, the wrong people aquired it.

Don't worry. My great great great great great grandchild is planning on being one hell of an astrophysicist/miner/nuclear technician.

What a shame it missed, but I do not believe that 1k is big enough to end civilization. It would create a crater of perhaps 14-15 miles in diameter and would be a bad day regionally, but for most of the world life would go on.

For the math challenged, the first paragrah uses meters, kilometers and miles...

So how big was it? Can you offer a reference item? Bigger than a football field? Bigger than the moon?

Thanks!

Originally posted by Julie Washington
For the math challenged, the first paragrah uses meters, kilometers and miles...

So how big was it? Can you offer a reference item? Bigger than a football field? Bigger than the moon?

Thanks!

It was about 1/10th the size of the one that coincided with the demise of the dinosaurs. It would be ~ 3X as wide as the Titanic is long.

reply to post by Numbers33four


Perfect... That I can visualize!

Thanks.

Scientists say we have 7 centuries, but the smallest change in course of this rock could mean it hits Earth a lot sooner than that. Changes can occur though interaction with other space bodies, and even a minor change would be enough.

Originally posted by Julie Washington
For the math challenged, the first paragrah uses meters, kilometers and miles...

So how big was it? Can you offer a reference item? Bigger than a football field? Bigger than the moon?

Thanks!

About 10 football fields (1000 yards) If it helps.

1 yard = 3 feet = 1 meter (for most countries).

100 yards = 1 football field = 300 feet = 100 meters.

1000 yards = 10 football fields = 3000 feet = 1000 meters.

1 kilometer = 1000 meters = 1000 yards = 3000 feet = 10 football fields.

reply to post by babybunnies


That's not correct. They say 7 centuries because that is how long it will take to be even remotely close to Earth. It is no threat before then. It would take an incredible force to change it and not destroy it enought to collide with Earth.There isn't really anything aside from God catching the asteroid in a mitt and throwing it back at us that could make it come any sooner.

Wow, this really got slept on.

Honestly, this could be one of the most important events of our lives as far as a "wake up call."

7 centuries for that particular one to hit us?? Is that what they are saying?

Because they only found that one 3 days before it passed, so I have no confidence what so ever that we will know if and when a killer is coming....I have a better chance of guessing when a royal flush will come in at the casino...no one can ever say for sure if one will or will not hit us at any given time.

So good luck fellow humans!!

reply to post by timetothink


3 days is not enough time either. It's not like we can just aim any ICMB at the asteroid. ICMB's don't even have enough fuel to break past earths gravitational field...

reply to post by v1rtu0s0


I know...no sense worrying...I think it's a hopeless situation...we would be very lucky if we had any warning...that last one really woke me up to the reality that we can never know what's coming.

Originally posted by timetothink
reply to post by v1rtu0s0

 

I know...no sense worrying...I think it's a hopeless situation...we would be very lucky if we had any warning...that last one really woke me up to the reality that we can never know what's coming.

It would be more than luck if we established a protocol for dealing with the BIGGEST THREAT TO GLOBAL SECURITY. That would include funding a real effort for finding these ELE's. It should include a staff of people larger than that of your local Mcdonalds.

Many reports have shown alien tech is preventing us being hit.Looking out for us

Originally posted by paperface
Many reports have shown alien tech is preventing us being hit.Looking out for us

They have? Many?

Source?