Close Call Asteroid


The size of Asteroid 86666 has made it a potentially hazardous object (PHO). If it were to hit the Earth, the aftermath would be devastating, equating to many thousands of atomic bombs blowing up at the same time.

As such an unwelcome guest from space is more likely to hit the ocean than land (as more of the Earth’s surface is covered with water), it would instantly send a huge quantity of water into the atmosphere, while at the same time causing devastating tsunamis and huge tidal waves. Sunlight would also be blocked out, possibly for years, by clouds of dust, dirt, and water sent into the atmosphere by the blast. During the resulting artificial winter, many species would face danger of extinction.

The good news is that, although 2000 FL10’s size meets PHO standards, it is still not listed as a threat, because it won’t come close enough to Earth. The asteroid will pass our planet by at a distance well outside the 7 million kilometer zone that would indicate a risk of collision.

Small meteorites invade our plant’s atmosphere every day, but the last really big impact was 65 million years ago, and it left a few less reptiles than before. NASA says that there are no asteroids or comments that pose a threat to our planet in the foreseeable future. Then again, NASA might just be trying to scare us in their attempt to remain relevant in the eyes of Americans.

Source: rt.com

 



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