Asteroid impact: Danger greater than with lightning strikes!

Asteroid impact: Danger greater than with lightning strikes!

A new study by scientists at the Olin College of Engineering in Massachusetts showed that the likelihood of dying from an asteroid impact is higher than a lightning strike. This knowledge illustrates the dangers that can be assumed by asteroids near the earth. The researchers, under the direction of physicist Carrie Nugent, viewed asteroids with a diameter of at least 140 meters in particular. According to their calculations, the probability that such a body will hit the earth during an average lifespan is around 1 to 156,000, while the risk of being killed by flash is around 1 to 163,000. In comparison, the risk of dying in a car accident is highest with 1 to 273. In the worst case, a large asteroid can threaten millions of people at the same time, which underlines the potentially catastrophic consequences of an impact, such as [OE24] (https://www.oe24.at/buzz24/tod- through-astereoid-actual-duty-blitz/644375441).

Asteroids are fascinating, but also dangerous objects of space. Some of them have a significant risk of taking on earth, which could have devastating consequences. Historical events such as the chicxulub event, which probably led to the extinction of the dinosaurs, show the dramatic consequences of such a stroke. A current example is the Asteroid 2024 YR4, which was discovered in Chile in 2024 and was temporarily on a risk list. With a diameter of 60 meters, the likelihood of an impact on December 22, 2032 was estimated. The consequences of an asteroid impact are strongly dependent on the size, speed and the impact location. These findings were compiled by PC world.

Consequences of asteroid strikes

The effects of an impact can be serious. A distinction is made between different categories of asteroids: Small asteroids under 100 meters can cause regional destruction, while medium -sized (100 to 1000 meters) can result in large craters and climate changes. Large asteroids over a kilometer could trigger global disasters, cause dramatic climate changes and have long -term effects on ecosystems. A study by the IBS Center for Climate Physics shows that the impact of a 500 -meter asteroid could release 400 million tons of dust, which would result in a cooling of up to 4 degrees Celsius and a decrease in precipitation by 15 percent. These serious forecasts underline the need to observe carefully (NEOS) close to the earth, as ZDF.

Modern telescopes and space missions are actively involved in discovering potentially dangerous asteroids at an early stage. There are also plans for distraction, such as the NASA mission Dart, which aims to influence the train of dangerous asteroids. On September 22, 2022, NASA successfully hit the double -sized didymos and dimorphos to change its orbit. In the future, the ESA mission "Ramses" will visit the asteroid "99942 Apophis" during its flight past. At 31,750 kilometers, this asteroid will fly past our planet in 2029.

In conclusion, it should be noted that the threats in particular by asteroids close to the earth should be taken seriously, even if such events are extremely rare. The ongoing studies and developments in asteroid research are crucial to protect the earth and its inhabitants from potential disasters.