The end of the world is coming? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Memalvada · 09-02-2003, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Asteroid Heading for Earth, May Hit in 2014

LONDON (Reuters) - A giant asteroid is heading for Earth and could hit in 2014, U.S. astronomers have warned British space monitors.

But for those fearing Armageddon, don't be alarmed -- the chances of a catastrophic collision are just one in 909,000.

Asteroid "2003 QQ47" will be closely monitored over the next two months. Its potential strike date is March 21, 2014, but astronomers say that any risk of impact is likely to decrease as further data is gathered.

On impact, it could have the effect of 20 million Hiroshima atomic bombs, a spokesman for the British government's Near Earth Object Information Center told BBC radio.

The Center issued the warning about the asteroid after the giant rock was first observed in New Mexico by the Lincoln Near Earth Asteroid Research Program. "The Near Earth Object will be observable from Earth for the next two months and astronomers will continue to track it over this period," said Dr. Alan Fitzsimmons, one of the expert team advising the Center.

Asteroids such as 2003 QQ47 are chunks of rock left over from the formation of the solar system 4.5 billion years ago. Most are kept at a safe distance from the Earth in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

But the gravitational influence of giant planets such as Jupiter can nudge asteroids out of these safe orbits and send them plunging toward Earth.

Isn't it nice to know that we all might die in approx 10 years?

yoshi · 09-02-2003, 10:17 AM

so let's make the best of the next ten years

Rodney · 09-02-2003, 10:29 AM

In Discover Magazine a few months ago, they had this long list of natural disasters that could possibly wipe out most or all of the human race and/or life on earth: asteroids, caldera eruptions (like the oneat Yellowstone) gamma ray blasts from supernovas, and a host of others. Also, sudden earth-slippage from the sides of volcanic islands in Hawaii and the Canaries could happen at any time, triggering 500-foot-tall tsunamis that could wipe out coastal areas.

There've been two mass extinctions of life on earth in the last 2-300 million years -- at the age of dinos, 75 million years back, and another one 200 million years back (which basically set the stage for dinos by wiping out the reptiles that were then in the top spot). Nobody knows what caused that one.

Frankly, I'm amazed we've made it _this_ far.

sadistikdreams · 09-02-2003, 10:30 AM

that asteroid will burn up in the atmosphere.

like on the simpsons.

JcL · 09-02-2003, 10:38 AM

I heard on CNN its a class 1 risk or something, meaning that if it actually hit it would likely not bring global destruction... But the potential is still there.

And with a 1 in 900,000 chance of striking anyways, I certainly won't be losing any sleep over it...

Its about 3/4 of a mile across I believe they said. But they were also discussing another asteroid, I might have mixed their lengths up.

TaLoN · 09-02-2003, 10:42 AM

i hope it hits a densely populated area

Averett · 09-02-2003, 10:42 AM

Actually, the end of the world will be in December 2012... So say the Mayans

(and many others)

bulakbol master · 09-02-2003, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Averett
Actually, the end of the world will be in December 2012... So say the Mayans (and many others)

I've heard a different interpretation of that prediction:

The Mayans are believed to have been a very violent people; perhaps a world without violence was inconceivable to them, which made them think December 2012 will be the end of the world -- perhaps it is only the end of violence.

Maybe the Age of Aquarius approaches

rev_skarekroe · 09-02-2003, 11:10 AM

About damn time.
sk

Averett · 09-02-2003, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bulakbol master
I've heard a different interpretation of that prediction:

The Mayans are believed to have been a very violent people; perhaps a world without violence was inconceivable to them, which made them think December 2012 will be the end of the world -- perhaps it is only the end of violence.

Maybe the Age of Aquarius approaches

Well, that puts a different spin on it!

God, if its the Age of Aquarius, I just hope they don't play that song over and over.. Ick

glasscutter43 · 09-02-2003, 11:18 AM

I'm with you rev_skarekroe. The sooner the better

Mr. Spacemonkey · 09-02-2003, 12:12 PM

Hmmm . . . well like it says, the chances are one in 909,000 so it most likely wouldn't hit us. I'm not that worried about it.

Nisses · 09-02-2003, 01:09 PM

Mr. Spacemonkey: tss, now you jinxed it

Actually, it depends on how giant and how close that asteroid is gonna be... If it races close to us, it could still cause alot of weather disturbance and tidal waves would not be out of the question too I believe.
Also, wouldn't it be cool to see a massive rock flying overhead, just zipping past?

Esoteric · 09-02-2003, 02:03 PM

Only time will tell.

water_boy1999 · 09-02-2003, 03:54 PM

Send Ben Afflek there on a top secret space mission to plant a nuke in the asteroid and blow it all to bits. At least we will be rid of his bad movies for a few years.

Plan9Senior · 09-02-2003, 03:57 PM

Its about time!

Gortexfogg · 09-02-2003, 04:19 PM

I remember hearing on the Discovery channel or something that every some many thousands or millions of years, earth is due to get hit by an asteroid. I don't know when the last asteroid hit, but I remember that we had passed the average number of thousands or millions of years between hits. Of course that's what I think I remember hearing...

dannoxxxx · 09-02-2003, 04:23 PM

when those astoroid movies came out a few years back......i always thought it was the governments way of preparing us for such an event.......lol.

But that is pretty crazy.......and since I cant do anything to stop it and all the people around me will die too...if i die.....then I am not inclined to worry about it too much.

skippy · 09-02-2003, 04:24 PM

There have been two Very Large asteroids hit the earth in the last one hundred years alone. Both hit in the middle of nowhere in Russia ( one in the 1920's and one in the fourties I beleive?)

The fact is that it will happen again... maybe ever sooner than we think.

krwlz · 09-02-2003, 04:25 PM

Hmm, Since I have no control over this whatsoever, I prefer not to even think about it. Ignorance can indeed be, bliss.

hotzot · 09-02-2003, 05:34 PM

stoopid jupiter! always sending shit our way! bastard!

nostalgic1 · 09-02-2003, 05:58 PM

well i think if we make a big enough ball of garbage.. and shoot it at the other ball when it gets close to our atmosphere.. it might.. just might have enough force to knock it back out into space..

....or so we can only hope...

bundy · 09-02-2003, 06:08 PM

quick!

everyone get behind Mars...

like someone on this board said (sorry, i forgot who), ¨save Earth, make Mars our bitch!¨

seriously, doesn´t a story like this come around every year? i can remember reading one similar story earlier this year.

MacGnG · 09-02-2003, 06:28 PM

there is always some giant space rock headed towards earth! thats what happens in space...

we'll see in about ten years, but after two months they will probly know for sure.

Conclamo Ludus · 09-02-2003, 06:30 PM

I've been waiting for this "end of the world" thing now every day since I was born. Its always something new. They've all led up to a big disappointment. I mean come on, can't we get an armageddon a little more often than once every 65 million years?

MSD · 09-03-2003, 10:12 AM

Armageddon was off with their methodology. What we would do with a nuke if we had enough time is to launch it months ahead of time, then detonate it to the side of the asteroid's path, nudging it out of the way. If we couldn't do anything other than hit it head-on, we just use a high-yield nuke and slow it down so that it misses us by a few hundred thousand miles.

cradeg · 09-03-2003, 11:42 AM

when we have enough time i dont think it will be dangerous, hard would it be if it comes close undedected

Root_Beer_Man · 09-03-2003, 01:59 PM

WE ALL GONNA DIE AHHHHHHHH!

lol...i dont buy this shit...i think its just a hoax like Y2K...do you have ANY idea how much money people made of that?

IC3 · 09-03-2003, 08:30 PM

I just think it's amazing that they can track an astroid that is 10 years away from impact.

09-02-2003, 10:30 AM	#4 (permalink)
sadistikdreams lonely rolling star Location: Seattle.	that asteroid will burn up in the atmosphere. like on the simpsons. __________________ "Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials." -Lin Yutang hearts, by d.a.

09-02-2003, 10:38 AM	#5 (permalink)
JcL Crazy Location: Simi Valley, CA	I heard on CNN its a class 1 risk or something, meaning that if it actually hit it would likely not bring global destruction... But the potential is still there. And with a 1 in 900,000 chance of striking anyways, I certainly won't be losing any sleep over it... Its about 3/4 of a mile across I believe they said. But they were also discussing another asteroid, I might have mixed their lengths up. __________________ "Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth then lies." - Nietzsche

09-02-2003, 10:42 AM	#7 (permalink)
Averett Is In Love Location: I'm workin' on it	Actually, the end of the world will be in December 2012... So say the Mayans (and many others) __________________ Absence is to love what wind is to fire. It extinguishes the small, it enkindles the great.

09-02-2003, 11:10 AM	#9 (permalink)
rev_skarekroe Insane Location: Parts Unknown	About damn time. sk __________________ "If I could have one wish, as in the fairy tales, I would unmake my past, and rise like Lazarus and stand in sunlight and banish all the dark." D. Tibet

09-02-2003, 11:18 AM	#11 (permalink)
glasscutter43 Insane Location: Vancouver Island BC	I'm with you rev_skarekroe. The sooner the better __________________ Book 'em Danno

09-02-2003, 10:17 AM	#2 (permalink)
yoshi Crazy Location: Jersey	so let's make the best of the next ten years

09-02-2003, 10:29 AM	#3 (permalink)
Rodney Observant Ruminant Location: Rich Wannabe Hippie Town	In Discover Magazine a few months ago, they had this long list of natural disasters that could possibly wipe out most or all of the human race and/or life on earth: asteroids, caldera eruptions (like the oneat Yellowstone) gamma ray blasts from supernovas, and a host of others. Also, sudden earth-slippage from the sides of volcanic islands in Hawaii and the Canaries could happen at any time, triggering 500-foot-tall tsunamis that could wipe out coastal areas. There've been two mass extinctions of life on earth in the last 2-300 million years -- at the age of dinos, 75 million years back, and another one 200 million years back (which basically set the stage for dinos by wiping out the reptiles that were then in the top spot). Nobody knows what caused that one. Frankly, I'm amazed we've made it _this_ far.

09-02-2003, 10:42 AM	#6 (permalink)
TaLoN Loser Location: MI	i hope it hits a densely populated area

09-02-2003, 12:12 PM	#12 (permalink)
Mr. Spacemonkey Wake up Location: Nowhere special	Hmmm . . . well like it says, the chances are one in 909,000 so it most likely wouldn't hit us. I'm not that worried about it. __________________ "I hope that when the world comes to an end, I can breathe a sigh of relief, because there will be so much to look forward to." -- Donnie Darko

09-02-2003, 01:09 PM	#13 (permalink)
Nisses Shade Location: Belgium	Mr. Spacemonkey: tss, now you jinxed it Actually, it depends on how giant and how close that asteroid is gonna be... If it races close to us, it could still cause alot of weather disturbance and tidal waves would not be out of the question too I believe. Also, wouldn't it be cool to see a massive rock flying overhead, just zipping past? __________________ Moderation should be moderately moderated.

09-02-2003, 02:03 PM	#14 (permalink)
Esoteric Tired Location: Florida	Only time will tell. __________________ From a head full of pressure rests the senses that I clutch Made a date with Divinity, but she wouldn't let me fuck I got touched by a hazy shaded, God help me change Caught a rush on the floor from the life in my veins

09-02-2003, 03:54 PM	#15 (permalink)
water_boy1999 Fly em straight! Location: Above and Beyond	Send Ben Afflek there on a top secret space mission to plant a nuke in the asteroid and blow it all to bits. At least we will be rid of his bad movies for a few years. __________________ Doh!!!! -Homer Simpson

09-02-2003, 03:57 PM	#16 (permalink)
Plan9Senior Banned Location: Orange County, California	Its about time!

09-02-2003, 04:19 PM	#17 (permalink)
Gortexfogg I and I Location: Stillwater, OK	I remember hearing on the Discovery channel or something that every some many thousands or millions of years, earth is due to get hit by an asteroid. I don't know when the last asteroid hit, but I remember that we had passed the average number of thousands or millions of years between hits. Of course that's what I think I remember hearing...

09-02-2003, 04:23 PM	#18 (permalink)
dannoxxxx Insane Location: Toronto	when those astoroid movies came out a few years back......i always thought it was the governments way of preparing us for such an event.......lol. But that is pretty crazy.......and since I cant do anything to stop it and all the people around me will die too...if i die.....then I am not inclined to worry about it too much.

09-02-2003, 04:24 PM	#19 (permalink)
skippy Banned	There have been two Very Large asteroids hit the earth in the last one hundred years alone. Both hit in the middle of nowhere in Russia ( one in the 1920's and one in the fourties I beleive?) The fact is that it will happen again... maybe ever sooner than we think.

09-02-2003, 04:25 PM	#20 (permalink)
krwlz Fledgling Dead Head Location: Clarkson U.	Hmm, Since I have no control over this whatsoever, I prefer not to even think about it. Ignorance can indeed be, bliss.

09-02-2003, 05:34 PM	#21 (permalink)
hotzot We're having potato pancakes! Location: stalag 13	stoopid jupiter! always sending shit our way! bastard! __________________ The Bully Boys are here!

09-02-2003, 05:58 PM	#22 (permalink)
nostalgic1 Insane Location: Location: Location: Location:	well i think if we make a big enough ball of garbage.. and shoot it at the other ball when it gets close to our atmosphere.. it might.. just might have enough force to knock it back out into space.. ....or so we can only hope... __________________ I dare you to forget the marks you left across my neck from those nights when we were both found at our best. Now I could make this obvious, and you..you could deny me all in one breath. You could shrug me off your shoulders. Just forget me.. it's that simple.

09-02-2003, 06:08 PM	#23 (permalink)
bundy . Location: Tokyo	quick! everyone get behind Mars... like someone on this board said (sorry, i forgot who), ¨save Earth, make Mars our bitch!¨ seriously, doesn´t a story like this come around every year? i can remember reading one similar story earlier this year. __________________ Ohayo!!!

09-02-2003, 06:28 PM	#24 (permalink)
MacGnG Know Where!	there is always some giant space rock headed towards earth! thats what happens in space... we'll see in about ten years, but after two months they will probly know for sure.

09-02-2003, 06:30 PM	#25 (permalink)
Conclamo Ludus Modern Man Location: West Michigan	I've been waiting for this "end of the world" thing now every day since I was born. Its always something new. They've all led up to a big disappointment. I mean come on, can't we get an armageddon a little more often than once every 65 million years? __________________ Lord, have mercy on my wicked soul I wouldn't mistreat you baby, for my weight in gold. -Son House, Death Letter Blues

09-03-2003, 10:12 AM	#26 (permalink)
MSD The sky calls to us ... Super Moderator Location: CT	Armageddon was off with their methodology. What we would do with a nuke if we had enough time is to launch it months ahead of time, then detonate it to the side of the asteroid's path, nudging it out of the way. If we couldn't do anything other than hit it head-on, we just use a high-yield nuke and slow it down so that it misses us by a few hundred thousand miles.

09-03-2003, 11:42 AM	#27 (permalink)
cradeg Insane Location: Austria	wow 10 years ahead when we have enough time i dont think it will be dangerous, hard would it be if it comes close undedected __________________ *************************** For every human problem, there is a neat, simple solution; and it is always wrong. ****************************

09-03-2003, 01:59 PM	#28 (permalink)
Root_Beer_Man Crazy	WE ALL GONNA DIE AHHHHHHHH! lol...i dont buy this shit...i think its just a hoax like Y2K...do you have ANY idea how much money people made of that? __________________ >3 Cheers for boobies!!<

09-03-2003, 08:30 PM	#29 (permalink)
IC3 Poison Location: Canada	I just think it's amazing that they can track an astroid that is 10 years away from impact.