Thaindian News

July 31, 2010 (Pen Men at Work): An asteroid has been discovered to be hurtling towards earth. Spanish researchers have however, assured us that the asteroid may not really have an impact with the earth. There is just a one in thousand chance of it hitting the earth that too in 2182.

The asteroid recognized by its number (101955) 1999 RQ36 does not have too much chances of crashing into the earth but surprisingly over 50% of the probability of it doing so is in the year 2182., said María Eugenia Sansaturio who is a researcher at the University of de Valladolid. Details of the study have been published in the journal Icarus. Sansaturio is a co author of the study report.

The asteroid had been discovered more than ten years ago, in 1999 and had been listed as PHA or potentially hazardous asteroid. It has been listed among the 1,140 PHAs currently included in NASA’s records. The term is applicable to (101955) 1999 RQ36 as it has the potential to come very close to the earth in the course of its revolution.

According to the reports published in the Daily Mail, the asteroid is estimated to measure almost 1800 feet across. It can result in massive destruction and even total extinction of mankind if it does indeed crash into the earth.

The scientists believe that it may be possible to divert the giant asteroid a little from its pre destined path but such endeavors will not be effective unless done a 100 years before it is likely to hit our planet. However, the impact would have been irreversible if it had remained undetected until 2080.

One of the best methods for deviating an asteroid is to detonate a nuclear warhead on it. David Dearborn of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory also thinks that it is the best way to get rid of asteroids that pose dangers and give us very little warning time.