Earth escapes brush with killer asteroid](CNN.com - Earth escapes brush with killer asteroid - January 7, 2002)
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*Artist’s concept of a lethal space rock plunging into Earth *
An asteroid that could pulverize a country zipped close by the Earth on Monday, only weeks after astronomers first noticed the big space boulder heading in our direction.
The range might seem like enough to breath easy, about 600,000 km (375,000 miles), but many scientists classify it as a relatively close call.
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*The space rock 2001 YB5, identified by the arrow, could have wiped out France, according to a scientist in Britain. *
What particularly troubles Peiser is that scientists only first spotted 2001 YB5 in early December. What if it had been heading on a collision course?
“That’s not enough time for any initiatives for deflection. If we had 20 or 30 years’ time, then we could develop a technology to deflect an object. With our current lacked of preparedness, we are helpless,” he said.
What if…?
[This message has been edited by Pristine (edited January 07, 2002).]