Slanted Science

Astronomers are predicting that in 2036, an asteroid known as Apophis will be passing close to the earth. Or, according to some models, smashing right into it.

It seems that the chances of a direct collision are high enough to have the head of Russia’s space agency calling for millions of dollars in funding to create a system with the capability of diverting the dangerous rock.

Apophis, which is 3-400 meters in diameter, will come zipping past our planet in 2029. Close, but no danger of making contact.

However, if during this pass the asteroid happens to travel through a kilometer-wide “gravitational keyhole”, then there is a (relatively) substantial chance of it returning 7 years later with a meaner attitude.

That keyhole refers to a small region of space in which the earth’s gravity is at the perfect strength to alter the asteroid’s future path so that it boomerangs around and comes straight back at us.

This is a cause for concern.

Obviously.

But don’t worry, for Anatoly Perminov has a solution. And it’s scientific, and everything:

There will be no nuclear explosions, everything will be done on the basis of the laws of physics.

Thanks for that, Anatoly. Good to hear that Russia won’t yet be employing its technology which breaks the laws of physics.

Phew.

The Americans are less worried about Apophis. This year, they lowered the odds on it striking us from 1/45000 to 1/250,000. Still: while these figures may cause you to pause at the poker table when you’ve got $50 already in the pot, they seem a little more scary if you’re gambling with humanity’s future.

But it’s not all bad news.

Many news reports cite the figure that an Apophis impact could…

…create a desert the size of France.

Bingo! We don’t need to shift the asteroid’s path away from the earth after all: a slight nudge and we have a perfect-sized landing ground for it.