How many years before an asteroid takes this planet out?

Question

Of all the objects in space, it's only a matter of time!!!! Jupitar showed us a sneek peek a few yrs. ago.

Answer 1

Could be awhile. NASA isn't aware of any immediate threats to our existence, and the last major one to hit Earth was about 63,000,000 years ago. Even that one didn't "take out" the planet. In fact, Earth has never in its four billion year plus history been destroyed by an asteroid (as evidenced by this conversation.) No reason to assume it will happen soon.

Though once it was hit by an object the size of Mars. It was still liquid back then, but we got our moon as a souvenir. One can almost picture a sign somewhere on Earth reading "I got hit by an object the size of Mars and all I got was this stupid satellite."

- Cai

Answer 2

Can't predict, such collisions are rare events...thank goodness.

On the other hand, without such a collision a few years ago, we wouldn't have the moon and the Earth's inclination (a smidge over 23 degrees). In which case, life as we know it would not have evolved. And, of course, the big one 65 million years ago, paved the way for the lowly mammal to develop into mankind.

Contrary what you may have read elsewhere, climate changes did occur after the various major collisions with the big ones. They are documented, if you will, in the layers of ice found in the Antarctica. Measuring isotopes of Oxygen can be used to estimate average global termperatures for example.

Answer 3

If one considers prophesy. The very near future. The Bible says
a mountain burning with fire will crash into the sea. Nostradamus
also mentions a fiery mountain, a mile in diameter.
Some think this is what will cause the Earth to shift on it's axis. I do not. I think these are two events, that will occur almost
back to back. An impact by an asteroid does not explain the
geological upheavals already taking place.

Answer 4

Even if an asteroid hit the planet, it would not destroy the planet -- or even alter the planet's climate or atmosphere enough that we would not be able to adapt to it. That is a myth advocated by paleontologists that don't know a damn thing about biology. In reality, five documented hulks of rock have landed during the Mesozoic that are bigger than the one that's supposed to have killed the dinosaurs, and the geologic record shows no climate change.

Answer 5

Possibly never. Yes, it's just a matter of time, but before long (probably within a century or two) we'll have detected all objects large enough to pose a significant hazard to us, AND have the technology to deflect them before they actually strike. This means a big asteroid would have to strike sometime in the next century or two, before we had the means to deflect it, but the odds of that happening are extremely slim.

Answer 6

Could be a hundred years...could be tomorrow. If you're interested enough, check out the risk-assessment website at NASA ==> http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/risk/

Answer 7

the universe is changing everyday just like our planet all my answers are hypathetical map the universe and you will have your answer then you will know and see all quadrants and there functions in other words seeing the universe is the answer

Answer 8

it will hit tomorrow, so go kill yourself to save you the pain of death by starvation when clouds of dust block the sun and kill all the plants on Earth

Answer 9

Hopefully not in my lifetime

Answer 10

Hopefully soon.