Credit: DepositphotosNuclear Explosions as a Defense Against AsteroidsPrecisely detonating a nuclear bomb above an approaching asteroid could be our best chance of avoiding a catastrophic impact.Precisely detonating a nuclear bomb above an approaching asteroid could be our best chance of avoiding a catastrophic impact.A laboratory experiment conducted by an international team of researchers showed...
The lunar crater Giordano Bruno, captured here by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, is home sweet home for a small near-Earth asteroid, according to a new studyNASA/Goddard/Arizona State UniversityScientists have long been able to trace many asteroids back to their parent bodies, whether planets or moons. However, they now assert for the first time that...
Astronomers have modeled the orbits of 1.3 million asteroids to check if any could bounce Apophis into an Earthbound pathDepositphotosIn 2029, a sizable asteroid will pass by Earth at such proximity that it will be observable without telescopic aid. Fortunately, calculations of its trajectory suggest that there's no risk of impact in the next...
NASA's asteroid-probing spacecraft, Lucy, has conducted its initial close-up observations, revealing an entirely unexpected find. The asteroid Dinkinesh not only possesses a small orbiting moon but, remarkably, this moon is composed of two objects fused together.Launched in 2021, Lucy is on track to explore more asteroids than any other spacecraft in history. Its primary...
Credit: PixaobayTwo groups of economists have conducted economic evaluations of asteroid mining. One of these groups comprises individuals from the University of Tor Rome Vergata, the University of Maryland, and Middlebury College. They have considered asteroid mining as a natural progression in the financialization of space exploration.The second team, consisting of three members from...
A striking view of Asteroid Itokawa, as captured by the Hayabusa spacecraft. This S-type asteroid, known for its distinctive peanut shape, boasts a diameter of roughly 1,100 feet and completes a full rotation every 12 hours. Credit: JAXA.A recent breakthrough in asteroid research by the Japanese Hayabusa spacecraft has profound implications for our understanding...
Credit: lifestayleasiaThe world of technology is everchanging and progressive. All over the world new technology comes to life. Here are some of the most relevant this year:Asteroid deflectedThe asteroid Dimorphos was the target for this year’s test run of a potential planetary defense system—an impact from a fridge-size spacecraft that successfully altered its orbit....
A deadly asteroidA new Phys.org report released on February 25 could have been the plot of 2021's "Don't Look Up," a Netflix original about a potentially deadly asteroid that threatens to strike Earth. However, the good news is it was simply a close call.According to the website, the first observations of an asteroid called...
lookup, it's okayA recent Phys.org report might have been the story of 2021's "Don't Look Up," the Netflix series about an asteroid that threatens to strike Earth. Fortunately, it was merely a close call.The website's initial observations of an asteroid named 2022 AE1 presented a possible impact with Earth on July of 2023. However, the risk...
