Asteroid Sterilization: Size and Impact on Earth

  • Context: Undergrad 
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the size and characteristics of an asteroid required to sterilize Earth, exploring theoretical impacts on life forms, including microbial life. Participants consider various factors such as size, density, impact speed, and location of impact.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that the size of the asteroid would depend on its impact location, indicating that a larger asteroid would be needed to avoid complete destruction of Earth.
  • Another participant argues that an asteroid's density is crucial, proposing that a smaller, dense asteroid could potentially sterilize Earth, with a football field-sized iron asteroid possibly sufficient.
  • A later reply emphasizes that sterilizing Earth implies eliminating all microbial life, which may require different considerations than just size, suggesting that kinetic energy is a more critical factor than size alone.
  • One participant humorously speculates about the effects of a small car traveling at near-light speed, suggesting that such an impact could disintegrate the planet entirely.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the necessary size and characteristics of an asteroid to achieve sterilization, indicating that no consensus exists on the matter.

Contextual Notes

Participants have not fully defined the parameters of "sterilization" or the specific conditions under which different asteroid impacts would occur, leaving some assumptions unresolved.

witze
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Killer Asteroid

Does anyone have any guesses on how big an asteroid would have to be to STERILIZE the earth?
 
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the size would probably differ depending on where it lands if it was two big it would destroy the Earth to keep it intact probably large enough to wipe out the seas so a lot bigger than mount everist
 
For an asteroid to destroy all plants and animals doesn’t have to be big at all. Its density would be the main factor in the final crunch. Depending on how dens and how much contacts the Earth's surface on impact. If you had an asteroid made of iron, a football field sized asteroid would probably do it.
TM
 
threadmark said:
For an asteroid to destroy all plants and animals doesn’t have to be big at all. Its density would be the main factor in the final crunch. Depending on how dens and how much contacts the Earth's surface on impact. If you had an asteroid made of iron, a football field sized asteroid would probably do it.
TM

Yes but to sterilize the Earth implies killing all microbial life as well, I think that is a taller order.

I think kinetic energy would be the defining factor, not size. A Lumbering, slow moving rock the size of the moon may leave some of the heartiest microbes alive. However, a small car traveling at 99.999% of the speed of light would probably transfer enough energy to disintegrate the whole planet. Nothing would survive that.
 
mrspeedybob said:
However, a small car traveling at 99.999% of the speed of light would probably transfer enough energy to disintegrate the whole planet. Nothing would survive that.

Now THAT would be the way to go...getting hit by a volkswagon at near the speed of light. I think I'd be proud.
 

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