|
If no known large NEO is going to hit us, what is the worry?
We do not know of any NEOs that are definitely going to collide with Earth, however, a number have a very small chance of impacting our planet in the future. We do, however, know that the collision of asteroids and comets with the Earth has occurred many times in the geological past and will occur again. Although we would be very unlucky if an impact occurred at the present time the consequences of such an event could be extremely serious. Since we are now in a position that we could potentially avert a collision, it therefore makes good sense to find NEOs long before they represent an immediate hazard.
|
