How Should We Prepare for Potential Asteroid Collisions?

[dsaun777]

I recently heard in the news that the small asteroid Apophis will be so close to Earth it will be within the Earth's satellite orbits. This asteroid will likely not hit earth, even if it did it wouldn't have an extinction level impact. But there will come a day when we will have to face off with a big one.

What method of deflection do you think is best?
I have heard of potential plans of deflecting asteroids such as gravity tractors, atomic bombs etc... but these are just ideas not action.

Why aren't governments taking this more seriously? How come we are not preparing for massive catastrophes more seriously? Don't you think this should be a global collaborative effort across nations? We need to start acting like a responsible race and prepare for our future.

There should be a global tax system or something put in place to fund massive projects for the Earth's safety. Asteroids are just one of many global catastrophes that could use the focus of the worlds' scientists and engineers.

 

[phinds]

We need to start acting like a responsible race and prepare for our future.

Yeah, good luck with that.

As for specifics about how to do it, I suggest a forum search. It's a topic that has been discussed several times.

 

[Tom.G]

Speaking of which, a photo of asteroid Ryugu by the Japanese lander Hayabusa-2.

https://www.sciencealert.com/images/2019-08/processed/RocksOfRyuguStranglyFamiliar_1024.jpg
how can one get a clipboard image to display instead of a link to it?[/size]

https://www.sciencealert.com/there-s-something-uncannily-familiar-about-the-rocks-on-distant-ryugu