As if we didn't have enough with the world going to hell on its own, two British astronomers-neither of which called Hans Zarkov-are saying that Dark Comets are a huge security risk to Earth:
There is a case to be made that dark, dormant comets are a significant but largely unseen hazard.
That's University of Cardiff's Professor Bill Napier talking to New Scientist magazine. Dark comets almost don't reflect any light from the sun because all the ice around them is gone, leaving only a dark organic ball of organic crap. There are a whooping 3,000 of them around, but only 25 have been detected.
Professor Napier's fellow Zarkov Dr David Asher at the Armagh Observatory in Northern Ireland agrees, so does Southwest Research Institute comet expert Clark Chapman. One example: In 1983 the comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock-with only 1 percent of its surface reflecting Sun's light-passed Earth at only five million kilometers, which is the closest encounter in 200 years.
So let's recapitulate here. We have Apophis, a doomsday unknown asteroid that like Pink Floyd, the Large Hadron Collider, Al Gore's overheating pants, Woz dancing with the stars,and now Dark Comets.
Thank you Mr. Scientists-not-named-Zarkov. You gave me yet another reason not to do my homework, get drunk, and have sex until I drop dead this weekend. [Daily Mail]