What are asteroids? How real is the threat of them causing extinction of life? What strategies have been developed to prevent such a catastrophe? (250 words)
Asteroids are rocky, airless remnants from the early solar system, primarily orbiting between Mars and Jupiter in the Asteroid Belt. There are around 1.3 million known asteroids, and in recent years, tracking efforts have intensified due to potential threats they pose to Earth.
Threat of Asteroids Causing Extinction
- Historical Evidence: The most significant asteroid impact is believed to have caused the extinction of dinosaurs 66 million years ago, as indicated by the Chicxulub crater in Mexico.
- Near-Earth Objects (NEOs): According to NASA (2023), over 30,000 NEOs have been discovered, with about 2,300 classified as “potentially hazardous.”
- Impact Consequences: Even small asteroids (e.g., 20 meters wide) can cause significant damage, as witnessed in the 2013 Chelyabinsk event in Russia, injuring over 1,500 people.
- Extinction-Level Threat: Asteroids over 1 km in size can cause global climatic effects. However, NASA estimates such impacts occur every 500,000 years, making the risk relatively low but not negligible.
Strategies Developed to Prevent Catastrophe
- Early Detection Systems:
- NASA’s Near-Earth Object Observations (NEOO) program and ESA’s Space Situational Awareness Program continuously monitor potential threats.
- Deflection Missions:
- DART Mission (2022): NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test successfully altered the orbit of an asteroid, demonstrating the feasibility of deflection.
- Planetary Defense Coordination: International collaboration under the United Nations fosters information-sharing and readiness through bodies like the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN).
Conclusion: While asteroid threats are rare, advancing detection, deflection, and international collaboration are crucial to safeguarding Earth from potential extinction-level events.
