How are some scientists suggesting we protect ourselves against an astroid impact?

Answer 1

there are many theoretical plans to protect ourselves from impact with an asteroid. one of the most radical would be the idea that everyone has heard of, just blow it up in space. that idea consists of breaking the asteroid into to halves which pass on opposite sides of the earth. another way would be to use rocket booseters and simply push the asteroid to one side. we dont need to move it much just alter its path slightly so that it doesnt come in contact with the earth. another interesting method would be to use giant sails to catch the solar wind and like the previous idea, alter the path of the asteroid enough to not come in contact with the earth.

Answer 2

Brian's pretty much right, although he left out a few options. In addition to solar sails and rockets there are also ideas to build an electromagnetic tugboat that would give the asteroid a positive charge, the boat a negative charge, and then use large engines to pull the asteroid along (opposite charges attract) without having to land on a spinning and irregular object (dangerous verging on suicide, and once you land vectoring the thrust from your rockets will be difficult because they will spin with the asteroid). You could also capture an asteroid and put it into orbit around the Earth when we are not in danger, and then manuver it into the path of the approaching object to smash it into gravel!

The nuke idea might work for smaller objects that could just be completely vaporized, but it might be difficult to break a large one into neat pieces that could be steered around the Earth. Asteroids are very irregular, so you would probably get several chunks of rock, producing an effect similar to firing a giant shotgun at Earth.

In the event that you are not already paranoid, this site will make you want to build a shelter even more: http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/ca/

Tomorrow's will almost certainly miss, barring something unlikely. Tuesday's will get much closer, but 2006 UQ216 is small enough not to be worth worrying about. There is also a tab at this site that takes you to the long-term forecast, which is even scarier! It is really more of a matter of when we go the way of the dinosaurs, not if.

Answer 3

Well, the old Johnny Carson joke was to get under a table or other secure barrier, put your head between your knees, and kiss your behind goodbye.

But, I think the most accepted idea is prevention. There are scientists watching the skies and the plan would be to disintegrate the asteroid before it entered our atmosphere.

Now, stop worrying so much and go have some fun for a while.

Answer 4

There is none.

Our missiles are not designed for space work, they don't have enough power to leave the earth gravity.

Remember what happened to levy-shoemaker in Jupiter? They were several pieces that blasted Jupiter's surface. So not only we would get several pieces hitting us, we would also get the radiation from the nuclear blast. Sending a warhead to an asteroid happens only in movies. Apparently, we would not be able to see any object, a comet included, until it was 6 moths away...and that would be too late.

Now think about the speed of this things, one second after entering the earth athmosphere it would hit the earth's surface. No time for anything.

So as of now, there is no protection.

Answer 5

Go into the basement? Maybe a fallout shelter. Otherwise, it's kinda hard to stop it.

Answer 6

WE THE PEOPLE CAN'T.
PERHAPS GOVERNMENTS WHO ALREADY ARE- SHOULD DO MORE TO DO SO.
YES GOVERNEMENTS ARE DEVELOPING RESOURCES TO MEET THIS VERY POSSIBILITY.