| ASTEROID AND METEOR IMPACTS |
 |
 |
| Just what is the danger? Do we really need to fear an object from space slamming into the earth or are these some kind of scare tactics meant for some other use. We've had movies depicting these sorts of scenarios and the horrible catastrophes that ensue, but are these accurate accounts of what could really happen? Well, strangely enough, the answer is yes. Certainly we have been bom- barded in our past. One theory is that this is what killed the dinosaurs and 75% of other living things on this planet some 65 million years ago and there are even worse extinctions if you go back far enough in time and these also may be attributed to some type of impact event. In 1908, in the middle of Siberia, what is believed to have been a part of a small comet collided with the earth with shockwaves felt as far away as Europe. When explorers finally reached the extremely isolated site they found an area that looked like an atomic bomb had been detonated. (Of course, atomic bombs weren't even known about then.) But, they did find trees lying on the ground in every direction for miles around; pointing away from a probable impact site. So to answer the question if is this is a real threat; the answer would indeed seem to be yes as we have been hit before and even if the odds of being struck within our lifetimes is small(some put it at 1 in 10,000), the fact remains we will one day be impacted again by a body from outer space and the consequences of that impact could be quite serious indeed. |
 |
| A small meteorite hit this car in 1994. |
 |
| Jupiter after the comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 collision. |
| Preparing for an asteroid impact. The good news: Scientists will probably spot the object before it hits us. The bad news: Even if we get six months warning, there's nowhere to hide. |
| SOME IMPACT LINKS |
 |
| NOT IF, BUT WHEN!!! |
| IMPACT NEWS |