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 Asante
Omnicyclion prophet
 
Registered: 02/06/02
Posts: 87,330
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 2007TU24 -- We are so fucked 
#7923167 - 01/24/08 06:03 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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Next thursday an asteroid that could wipe out an entire nation misses the earth by an astronomical hair's width (0.5 Mkm) as it soars through the solar system. It's approximately 0.3 km across.
I've set some estimations loose on this earth impact calculator and an asteroid like that easily could exert a force of 1.5 gigatons, which is over 100.000 times the force of the atomic bomb that struck Hiroshima, or 30 times bigger than the most destructive hydrogen bomb ever set off. Such an impact on land would kill all inhabitants in an area the size of a State, with destructive effects more than a 1.000 miles from ground zero. If it plunged into the ocean, it would cause a Tsunami the magnitude of which is unprecedented in recorded history.
But the one of next tuesday will probably, like, miss us.
Why then are we so fucked?
We are so fucked because this asteroid that on an astronomical scale barely misses us, was only discovered on 11 October 2007. That's right, there would have been only 110 days between the discovery of this asteroid and the day it would have hit us. That is NOT enough time to come up with an effective comet deflection response. Its not enough time even to have the planet properly brace for impact.
It gets worse: NASA has only decided the comet would not hit the earth on 4 December 2007. Thats a mere 56 days before a possible impact! You can't evacuate an area the size of the state of Texas, let alone the Atlantic coastal area of say both Americas, Africa and Europe in case of an ocean impact.
This one is gonna miss us says NASA, but what it does is clearly demonstrate how tragically inept our impact defense capabilities are.
Due to lack of funding, the number of scientists scanning the skies for inbound asteroids and comets is smaller than the number of employees working in an average McD*nalds restaurant.
Pathetic! And such under-funding and under-staffing is bound to get pathetic results, like 56 days between trajectory confirmation and possible impact of an asteroid exerting a force of over 100.000 Hiroshima bombs.
What kind of world do we live in that a single nation spends $2.100.000.000 to buy one of these:
but puts defense of our entire planet against an apocalypse beyond comprehension on a budget at not even one percent of the price of one such bomber.
And thats why I say: we are so fucked.. if we don't fix it before an asteroid with our name on it decides to make a house call.
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 wrestler_az
PsiLLy BiLLy
Registered: 08/11/02
Posts: 13,680
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 Re: 2007TU24 -- We are so fucked [Re: Asante]
#7923178 - 01/24/08 06:19 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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i am looking forward to the day one finally does hit us, and i hope im still alive to see it happen when it does.
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how's your WOW?
Edited by yageman (04/20/06 4:20 PM)
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Cubie
Moderator
Registered: 01/11/08
Posts: 8,840
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Re: 2007TU24 -- We are so fucked [Re: Asante]
#7923179 - 01/24/08 06:20 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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That's crazy as fuck. It would be so crazy to witness something like that. Did it say what side of earth is going to be able to see it?
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demiu5
humans, lol
Registered: 08/18/05
Posts: 43,948
Loc: the popcorn stadium 
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Re: 2007TU24 -- We are so fucked [Re: Asante]
#7923180 - 01/24/08 06:21 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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omg, let's put our shields up and blast that inanimate, inorganic rock out of the sky that is hell-bent on destroying us and everything we hold dear
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channel your inner Larry David
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wrestler_az
PsiLLy BiLLy
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Re: 2007TU24 -- We are so fucked [Re: demiu5]
#7923181 - 01/24/08 06:23 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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bruce willis will save us...
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how's your WOW?
Edited by yageman (04/20/06 4:20 PM)
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demiu5
humans, lol
Registered: 08/18/05
Posts: 43,948
Loc: the popcorn stadium
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Re: 2007TU24 -- We are so fucked [Re: wrestler_az]
#7923183 - 01/24/08 06:23 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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two times over
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channel your inner Larry David
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Cubie
Moderator
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Re: 2007TU24 -- We are so fucked [Re: demiu5]
#7923185 - 01/24/08 06:27 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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No. Chuck Norris will roundhouse that fucker into the sun.
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Asante
Omnicyclion prophet
Registered: 02/06/02
Posts: 87,330
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Re: 2007TU24 -- We are so fucked [Re: demiu5]
#7923195 - 01/24/08 06:46 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
omg, let's put our shields up and blast that inanimate, inorganic rock out of the sky that is hell-bent on destroying us and everything we hold dear
You haven't actually read the post have you?
This particular comet isn't the problem, it's how little we do to prevent one from one day actually hitting us.
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Omnicyclion.org
higher knowledge starts here
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wrestler_az
PsiLLy BiLLy
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Re: 2007TU24 -- We are so fucked [Re: Asante]
#7923200 - 01/24/08 06:49 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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could we really prevent it from happening, even if we tried? i mean, come on...
how would you suggest we go about it, given the opportunity?
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how's your WOW?
Edited by yageman (04/20/06 4:20 PM)
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Asante
Omnicyclion prophet
Registered: 02/06/02
Posts: 87,330
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Re: 2007TU24 -- We are so fucked [Re: wrestler_az]
#7923222 - 01/24/08 07:01 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
could we really prevent it from happening, even if we tried? i mean, come on...
Given enough time in advance we very well could.
Quote:
how would you suggest we go about it, given the opportunity?
If its just a relatively small asteroid like this one, a fifty megaton thermonuclear bomb would vaporize it. Such a warhead only weighs 25 tons at most. No need for advanced technologies, just raw firepower.
For bigger ones, you could explode a thermonuclear bomb to the side of the asteroid at a standoff, not to obliterate but to make one side of the asteroid fuming hot. These fumes will alter the trajectory of the asteroid. Over vast distances, a small correction goes a long way. Similar results can be accomplished by attaching a solar sail to the asteroid, but this takes more time.
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Omnicyclion.org
higher knowledge starts here
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WhiskeyClone
Not here
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Posts: 16,509
Loc: Longitudinal Center of Canada ...
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Re: 2007TU24 -- We are so fucked [Re: Asante]
#7923240 - 01/24/08 07:17 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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For some reason, I am absolutely not worried about asteroids hitting the earth. I think it's a dignified way for humanity to end.
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Welcome evermore to gods and men is the self-helping man. For him all doors are flung wide: him all tongues greet, all honors crown, all eyes follow with desire. Our love goes out to him and embraces him, because he did not need it.
~ R.W. Emerson, "Self-Reliance"
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rizingfire
Mycoticus psychoticus
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Re: 2007TU24 -- We are so fucked [Re: WhiskeyClone]
#7923248 - 01/24/08 07:22 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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Whiskey, better than us destroying ourselves right? lol
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aka NHMI
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Cubie
Moderator
Registered: 01/11/08
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Re: 2007TU24 -- We are so fucked [Re: rizingfire]
#7923253 - 01/24/08 07:25 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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It would be really sad that we never got to populate the universe though. Would be a lot better then is destroying ourselves
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wrestler_az
PsiLLy BiLLy
Registered: 08/11/02
Posts: 13,680
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Re: 2007TU24 -- We are so fucked [Re: Asante]
#7923257 - 01/24/08 07:28 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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maybe... but im still skeptical of our abilities as far as this goes. or perhaps hopeful that we are as stupid as i think we are. i really really really want to see this happen.
perhaps in 2029 ill get that chance.
/me crosses fingers
http://www.umich.edu/news/?Releases/2005/Aug05/r081605c
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how's your WOW?
Edited by yageman (04/20/06 4:20 PM)
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Asante
Omnicyclion prophet
Registered: 02/06/02
Posts: 87,330
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Re: 2007TU24 -- We are so fucked [Re: WhiskeyClone]
#7923258 - 01/24/08 07:30 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
For some reason, I am absolutely not worried about asteroids hitting the earth. I think it's a dignified way for humanity to end.
We owe it to the starfishes and the zebras that we prevent this if we can. It wouldn't just be humanity wiped out, but perhaps all life on earth. 4.5 G years of evolution could have been in vain, and what a waste it would be.
Besides, the chance of an asteroid like Tuesday's blammo hitting first is far, far more likely than a 50km Doomsday whopper falling from the skies. One that will only cause mass-suffering, not total extinction. A kind of Nuclear Winter could be the result.
It's not just us humans on the planet, we have all possible lifeforms to defend here. Harmless little critters who's survival depends on us getting our heads out of our asses and taking planetary responsibility.
Maybe mankind is Evolution's answer to being pommeled with Extinction Level Event asteroids every odd hundred million years, ever think of that one? We are a young species in a destructive type of civilization now, but perhaps our role in the grand scheme of things is to preserve life on earth and spread it among the stars.
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higher knowledge starts here
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WhiskeyClone
Not here
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Loc: Longitudinal Center of Canada ...
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Re: 2007TU24 -- We are so fucked [Re: rizingfire]
#7923259 - 01/24/08 07:30 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
rizingfire said:
Whiskey, better than us destroying ourselves right? lol
Yes.
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Welcome evermore to gods and men is the self-helping man. For him all doors are flung wide: him all tongues greet, all honors crown, all eyes follow with desire. Our love goes out to him and embraces him, because he did not need it.
~ R.W. Emerson, "Self-Reliance"
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poke smot!
floccinocci floofinator
Registered: 01/08/03
Posts: 5,248
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Re: 2007TU24 -- We are so fucked *DELETED* [Re: Asante]
#7923270 - 01/24/08 07:37 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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Post deleted by poke smot!Reason for deletion: x
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memes
Blessed
Registered: 01/11/05
Posts: 27,785
Loc: In a Tree
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Re: 2007TU24 -- We are so fucked [Re: poke smot!]
#7923276 - 01/24/08 07:44 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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'eh - would've been a sweet way to go out.
"when the world ends, we'll be burnin one..."
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Baby_Hitler
Errorist
Registered: 03/06/02
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Re: 2007TU24 -- We are so fucked [Re: Asante]
#7923286 - 01/24/08 07:52 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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Were there any WMDs on the asteroid?
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This space for rent
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memes
Blessed
Registered: 01/11/05
Posts: 27,785
Loc: In a Tree
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Re: 2007TU24 -- We are so fucked [Re: Baby_Hitler]
#7923296 - 01/24/08 07:55 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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yes, we commenced "Operation Astroidal Freedom" two days ago
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