Asteroid explodes over Indonesia.

[The Romulan Republic]

Here's a link:

http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news165.html

And another:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/spac ... ences.html



As far as I'm concerned, this is just more evidence of how grossly underfunded asteroid tracking (like the space program in general) is, how lucky we've been so far, and how a lot of people are going to die some day if we don't deal with this.

[Funk4ever]

Defend the Mother Planet!

[Lord-General Drache]

Defend the Mother Planet!

Do we have to defend ALL of her? I mean...she's gotten a bit chunky lately, eating massive amounts of space ice cream and such...

[Zeppy]

Run away!

[North Suran]

And people said Paul Verhoeven's Starship Troopers was unrealistic.

[Barzan]

I'm willing to bet that some group in the US is going to blame it on "terrorists".

[Maurepas]

I'm willing to bet that some group in the US is going to blame it on "terrorists".

It was terrorists...

[Conserative Morality]

I'm willing to bet that some group in the US is going to blame it on "terrorists".

Actually, it was the liberals.

[Barzan]

I'm willing to bet that some group in the US is going to blame it on "terrorists".

It was terrorists...

...from space! Quick, it's time to nuke the Moon!

[The Romulan Republic]

Of course, its not like this has never happened before. The most famous example would have to be the Tunguska explosion, which actually did do a lot of damage (fortunately it was over Siberia so their wasn't a massive death toll like their would have been had it gone off over a city). The first article states that ones like this Indonesian asteroid should happen "every 2 to 12 years on average."

What's suprising (and inexcusable) is that most people seem utterly ambivalent to the fact that these things happen quite frequently, that their's currently very little we can do to protect ourselves, and that consequently its really only a matter of luck that one hasn't killed a huge number of people yet.

Edits to fix quote.

[Zeppy]

I'm willing to bet that some group in the US is going to blame it on "terrorists".

It was terrorists...

The commies are back.

[Barzan]

I'm willing to bet that some group in the US is going to blame it on "terrorists".

It was terrorists...

The commies are back.

Should I post that Simpsons scene where Lenin is reanimated?

[Charlotte Ryberg]

Here's a link:

http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news165.html

And another:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/spac ... ences.html



As far as I'm concerned, this is just more evidence of how grossly underfunded asteroid tracking (like the space program in general) is, how lucky we've been so far, and how a lot of people are going to die some day if we don't deal with this.

Do you mean an asteroid that's more than 25m wide? In this case, more funding for the Near Earth objects project would be needed to avoid or minimise something that was seen on "Deep impact".

[North Avayu]

That's amazing and terrifying at the same time. I mean, how big is the chance for any human to ever see something like this? But it also shows what catastrophes could happen and that they are probably more likely to happen than we think.

[The Romulan Republic]

That's amazing and terrifying at the same time. I mean, how big is the chance for any human to ever see something like this?

Rather higher than I feel comforatable with. These things aren't that rare, actually.

But it also shows what catastrophes could happen and that they are probably more likely to happen than we think.

Exactly. If this asteroid had been a little bit bigger, this story wouldn't be a curiosity, it would be one of the worst disasters in history.

[Farnhamia]

Of course, its not like this has never happened before. The most famous example would have to be the Tunguska explosion, which actually did do a lot of damage (fortunately it was over Siberia so their wasn't a massive death toll like their would have been had it gone off over a city). The first article states that ones like this Indonesian asteroid should happen "every 2 to 12 years on average."

What's suprising (and inexcusable) is that most people seem utterly ambivalent to the fact that these things happen quite frequently, that their's currently very little we can do to protect ourselves, and that consequently its really only a matter of luck that one hasn't killed a huge number of people yet.

Edits to fix quote.

Had the Tunguska Object been five hours early getting here, it would have gone off over St. Petersburg.

[North Avayu]

That's amazing and terrifying at the same time. I mean, how big is the chance for any human to ever see something like this?

Rather higher than I feel comforatable with. These things aren't that rare, actually.

But it also shows what catastrophes could happen and that they are probably more likely to happen than we think.

Exactly. If this asteroid had been a little bit bigger, this story wouldn't be a curiosity, it would be one of the worst disasters in history.

Yeah, it's really an End-of-World scenario. I can imagine that a lot of people there were fearing for their lives. But at the same time I feel a curiousness. It's something special, no matter how, or more, especially because it's so dangerous.

[The Romulan Republic]

Yeah, it's really an End-of-World scenario. I can imagine that a lot of people there were fearing for their lives. But at the same time I feel a curiousness. It's something special, no matter how, or more, especially because it's so dangerous.

Yes, it would be cool to see, as long as it wasn't a bit bigger and closer.

[Iuxtim]

I'm willing to bet that some group in the US is going to blame it on "terrorists".

It was terrorists...

...from space! Quick, it's time to nuke the Moon!

The Moon attempted to get revenge for when we 'bombed' it.

[Buffett and Colbert]

Even more proof as to why we should beef up SETI. THOSE DAMN ALIENS ARE GETTING TO US!

[Barzan]

I'm willing to bet that some group in the US is going to blame it on "terrorists".

It was terrorists...

...from space! Quick, it's time to nuke the Moon!

The Moon attempted to get revenge for when we 'bombed' it.

Either that or they ran out of free cheques from the government that they use to buy beer and moonujuana.

[Miclania]

I'm willing to bet that some group in the US is going to blame it on "terrorists".

The sad part is, you're probably right.

[Ceannairceach]

I'm willing to bet that some group in the US is going to blame it on "terrorists".

It was terrorists...

The commies are back.

Should I post that Simpsons scene where Lenin is reanimated?

Yes, yes you should.

[North Avayu]

Yeah, it's really an End-of-World scenario. I can imagine that a lot of people there were fearing for their lives. But at the same time I feel a curiousness. It's something special, no matter how, or more, especially because it's so dangerous.

Yes, it would be cool to see, as long as it wasn't a bit bigger and closer.

It's more than that. It's the amazement that it wouldn't need much, just a chunk with a diameter of 25m, to bring that much destruction and that we are completely without defence at the moment, depending on chance. Some sort of morbid curiousness.

[Barzan]

I'm willing to bet that some group in the US is going to blame it on "terrorists".

It was terrorists...

The commies are back.

Should I post that Simpsons scene where Lenin is reanimated?

Yes, yes you should.

I can only find it on some obscure Chinese-based video-hosting site:

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_ch00XODA3OTY3Ng==.html