Asteroid apocalypse could happen WITHOUT WARNING and wipe out ‘defenceless’ humanity
Scientists say colossal space rocks can slip through net and hit planet without anyone seeing them coming
EARTH’s defence systems against giant space rocks are woefully inadequate, leaving the planet dangerously exposed, a leading expert has warned.
Colossal asteroids and meteors hurtling through our solar system could hit the planet at any time.
The earth is regularly hit by smaller space rocks – with Nasa estimating that 44 tonnes of meteoritic material falls on the Earth each day.
But many of the galactic projectiles are big enough to level cities or even potentially destroy all life on the planet.
And the warning systems currently in place to detect approaching asteroids are insufficient to tackle the looming threat.
This means asteroids can potentially “sneak up” – smashing into the planet without warning.
The terrifying revelation was made at a Paris conference to announce the creation of new “space nation” Asgardia.
Asgardia founder Dr Igor Ashurbeyli told the that the recent 2013 Chelyabinsk meteor in Russia laid bare the planet’s shocking vulnerability.
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Speaking at the event – which also discussed plans for a new asteroid defence system – Dr Ashurbeyli said nobody noticed the 65ft space rock approaching until it slammed into Russia’s Urals region.
The scientist said: “The fact is there is no protection.
“Protection is non-existent and is only at a theoretical level.”
An asteroid of just 165ft would be enough to destroy a city of a million people, Dr Ashurbeyli warned.
He added: “Look at the last major asteroid, the one which fell near Chelyabinsk.
“It could have easily been destroyed by an anti-missile defence system.
“However, no one on the whole planet saw it approaching.”
The Chelyabinsk meteor fortunately broke up in the Earth’s atmosphere – exploding 28 miles above the ground with the energy of around 500 kilotonnes of TNT.
The impact knocked people off their feet, smashed windows and collapsed a factory roof, with 1,210 people reported injured.
As it flashed through the sky, the fireball burned 30 times brighter than the sun – scorching some witnesses’ eyes and burning the skin off the faces of those closest.
The intense heat caused around three quarters of the debris to evaporate.
But the next time we might not be so lucky.
Last month, there were warnings of a mile-wide asteroid set to make a dramatic “near Earth pass”.
And in August, another colossal space rock zoomed past the planet at a distance of just 50,000 miles.
The 80-180ft rock – dubbed 2016 QA2 – came closer to Earth than the moon.
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