As some already pointed out, most of the earth is covered in water, about 71% This leaves only 29% for land mass. 3/4 of the earth's population lives on only 20% of the land mass. this means only .2 * .29 = 5.8% of the earth is heavily populated.
So if an object randomly strikes the earth's surface there's roughly a 6% chance of hitting a densely populated area.
Of course hitting anywhere, or even exploding in the atmosphere could have dire consequences. #asteroid
@chauncy that billups: It's important to know that there have been many times in our history when the superstitious believed that at a certain point in time, something like Judgment Day was going to happen. Those points in time all passed and obviously, we are all still here.
How many people set up bomb shelters on the Eve of New Years Day 2000? They were counting on having to live in them for years after Y2K and the riots and the wars that were surely going to happen... #asteroid
Well if they hyped it up more earlier we could of had end of the world sex all over the world with whomever we wanted (because we would all be desperate to get our minds off of the potential destruction) and only to find out we are still alive leading to more love making.
Is it me, or is there a crapload of objects falling down onto Earth ever since they smacked the moon? I smell a conscpiracy...oh wait no thats just my food in the microwave.
Reheated hotdogs at 12AM with some vanilla soda. I'm living the life! #asteroid
psychonaut2021:Secrets of the Pineal Gland promoted this comment
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@Identity (reclamation): Well, I dont have those, but I got some cookies. I could just microwave them and put syrup on them. That should work. #asteroid
@psychonaut2021: Secrets of the Pineal Gland: buffalo wings and cheap beer at 4am. one of the wings was too saucy... shot out of my hand and landed right on my phone =( #asteroid
@Woozle Wozzle: Nah, not @ only 4 Kilotons. Any wave created would be local. We've set off much larger nukes in the Pacific Ocean with no dooms day result... except those mutated sharks that grew feet. Those could be a problem if they ever get organized. #asteroid
@bosskev: You'd have likely had to pay it regardless; unless you had poor enough luck for it to land right on YOU. Apparently it was only 30 feet across... just a lame little grain of space sand. #asteroid
Wouldn't it be amazing if we could capture objects like this in orbit. So close 60,000km. It would be a great platform for building a space station. So much closer then the moon. 50 meters isn't very large. The ISS is about 93M across and 73M long. Most of that is solar panels. I wonder if it's coming back again.
If it was "about twice the altitude of our communications satellites" then why is "glowing so bright you could see it through a cloud"??? Last time I checked satellites are not in the atmosphere? Isn't t he atmosphere which causes the stuff falling from space to burn up? like the space shuttle and such? Cane some one explain this without making smart ass comments if I'm incorrect?
@ernu: Velocity, Vector, Mass and Momentum, that's why. Too fast, too heavy, too far left right, up, or down and for too long. One or more of those factors made it a near miss, instead of a potential disaster.
10/19/09
So if an object randomly strikes the earth's surface there's roughly a 6% chance of hitting a densely populated area.
Of course hitting anywhere, or even exploding in the atmosphere could have dire consequences. #asteroid
10/18/09
Nothing about saving the world... #asteroid
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How many people set up bomb shelters on the Eve of New Years Day 2000? They were counting on having to live in them for years after Y2K and the riots and the wars that were surely going to happen... #asteroid
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Only I can dream..... :P #asteroid
10/17/09
Reheated hotdogs at 12AM with some vanilla soda. I'm living the life! #asteroid
10/17/09
Heh, i got corn dogs.
Now who's the playa. #asteroid
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I just took a cat nap, and I feel like having soup at 3AM... Damn these 12hr graveyard shifts. They really mess you up. #asteroid
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If I'm making it at home, I'll also put a slice of cheese on it. Wonderful. #asteroid
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Once again: things that should have been brought to my attention yesterday!