Sometimes, it’s easy to forget about all the things in outer space that could easily destroy us. We’re so preoccupied with the potential harm in our proximity–shootings, hurricanes, diseases–that we overlook the fact that asteroids could annihilate entire cities and unless we have at least a year’s notice, we’re fucked.
To be fair, someone getting shot or stabbed happens much more frequently than the Tunguska event. But it’s still terrifying as hell when any close calls occur, like the one that’ll happen February 15.
Half the size of a football stadium, 2012 DA14 will pass by Earth by 17,000 miles, or 14 minutes of orbit time. And although this one will pass, former astronaut Jason Lu says that there’s a 30% chance Earth will experience another Tunguska in the next 100 years, and who knows where it’ll end up this time. Keep reading for more probabilities. Maybe that will make you paranoid.
(Photo: Gregg Tavares/Flickr)
