Lily
Are We the Next Dinosaurs? A Look at Planetary Defense Against Asteroids
For most of Earth’s history, asteroid collisions were unavoidable natural disasters. Sixty-five million years ago, a ten-kilometer asteroid struck the Yucatan Peninsula in modern-day Mexico, which was the catalyst for the extinction of the dinosaurs. More recently, in 2013, an asteroid exploded over Chelyabinsk, Russia, injuring more than one thousand people. Events such as these raise the question of how likely a catastrophic asteroid collision with Earth is, and what we can do to defend ourselves. Although catastrophic asteroids are rare, their effects can be devastating. While there have been advancements, there are still improvements to be made in detection, technologies for deflection, and international coordination.
WATCH HERE
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For most of Earth’s history, asteroid collisions were unavoidable natural disasters. Sixty-five million years ago, a ten-kilometer asteroid struck the Yucatan Peninsula in modern-day Mexico, which was the catalyst for the extinction of the dinosaurs. More recently, in 2013, an asteroid exploded over Chelyabinsk, Russia, injuring more than one thousand people. Events such as these raise the question of how likely a catastrophic asteroid collision with Earth is, and what we can do to defend ourselves. Although catastrophic asteroids are rare, their effects can be devastating. While there have been advancements, there are still improvements to be made in detection, technologies for deflection, and international coordination.
WATCH HERE
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A college preparatory boarding school for grades 9-12
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