We're All Going to Die (Again)

by Tom Knoblauch, editor-in-chief

You heard it here - should we make it through 2012 and 2020 (which is when Isaac Newton picked), expect significant doomsday predictions for 2040. There's one significant difference in this 2040 prediction, however. There's some scientific possibility of a huge catastrophe at roughly 2040 from a very real threat - an asteroid.

Get this - Nasa itself has reported there is a one in 625 chance that the asteroid will hit Earth. That's hardly small potatoes, even though it's a pretty small chance. The asteroid, known as AG5, is about 450 feet across. To put that in perspective, Earth's diameter is roughly 8,000 miles. That's not to say something huge like this asteroid would not have a devastating effect on Earth.

Don't quit your job to enjoy your last 28 years quite yet, however. There's a little bit more to the story. The reason why this chance exists at all is a result of limited observation. The asteroid has been observed for only half an orbit around the sun, so it's difficult to be certain about the overall orbit the asteroid will have. In fact, Donald Yoemans of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory has suggested that he expects the odds to diminish significantly as the orbit is observed for the next few years. As far as he's concerned, it's completely likely that the odds of impact will reduce to zero.

That being said, a UN Team (pictured right) is on the case thinking of what we can do in the worst possible scenario. They're preparing for the worst and have even brought up the possibility of nuclear warheads being used to deflect and destroy the asteroid, making Michael Bay officially prophetic. This wouldn't work quite like the movie, it seems, though, since it has been suggested that this would change the asteroid from one large piece of rock to millions of smaller ones.

Another option being suggested is putting a probe on the asteroid, which could change the gravitational pull of the rock, and perhaps save the day. Surely they have a large amount of other options that aren't being discussed publicly. Let's hope so, because the two ideas brought up Pakalertpress.com don't really put me at ease. In any case, expect more news on this in the next few years as that asteroid is very closely watched. That's assuming, of course, we make it past 2012.