How do we avoid asteroids aka the terrible fate that the dinosaurs met? China may have the answer
Categories: SCIENCE NEWS
Howdo we avoid asteroids aka the terrible fate that the dinosaurs met? China mayhave the answer
We know that giant dinosaurs fell by an asteroid, and ifthose mighty creatures didn't survive these rocks from outer space, what chancedo we humans have? The Global Challenge Foundation, which seeks to reduceglobal issues that threaten mankind, and which also produces an annualassessment on threats of global catastrophe, statesthat"The largest near-Earth asteroid (>1 km in diameter) has thepotential to cause geologic and climate impacts on a global scale, disrupthuman civilization and perhaps even result in species extinction".
China may have the answer, and it can be summed up in justthree words: Know your enemy. Although little is known about this project, the Chinese press suggests that the system will be theworld's farthest radar system.It seeks to capture, monitor andassess the likelihood of asteroids impacting Earth by reflecting signals fromasteroids within 93 million miles (150 million kilometers) of Earth, or nearlyas far as the Sun. So far, two antennas have been made at one place inChongqing, southern China.
They are expected to be tested and operational by September,according to the Chinese-language publication Science and Technology Daily.China may be on to something. Recently, the latest decadal review from the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering andMedicine also suggested that ground-based radar could be one of humanity'sstrongest weapons to defend Earth against asteroids.