NASA to find most Earth-threatening asteroids by end of 2008

[Swede]

By the end of this year, NASA hopes to find about 90% of the largest asteroids that could potentially strike Earth, a blast that could throw dust into the atmosphere and cause firestorms and acid rain. These asteroids can be as large as mountains but are at least 1 kilometer (3,280.8 feet) in diameter. NASA estimates that 900 of these objects are in potentially hazardous range of Earth.

But the more immediate threat is from much smaller asteroids, such as the asteroid that has a 1-in-25 chance of hitting Mars on Jan. 30. The asteroid, which has the unglamorous name of 2007 WD5, is only 50 meters (164 feet) and is barely a chip off the massive, 10-kilometer-wide (6.2 miles) asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs some 65 million years ago. Small, yes, but such an asteroid has the explosive force of a 10-megaton nuclear weapon.

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9055040

[wtmusic]

1. We're quite capable of doing the Earth in ourselves, thank you nt

[Phoonzang]

2. Good news

I admit I'm surprised that they're doing so well in this arena. I thought they weren't taking it seriously at all.

[RL3AO]

3. The astronomers are taking it seriously. Not sure about Washington.