THIS terrifying video reveals what would happen if a colossal space rock came hurtling through space and crashed straight into Earth's surface.

If an asteroid were to strike – and we are due an extinction-level event – it’s likely that it would hit water.

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Earth is 71 per cent ocean, after all.

The incredible animation from the folks at reveals exactly what might happen if it did.

The scientists wanted to figure out whether huge waves as a result of the impact would be large enough to travel to populated coasts.

Their study found that it’s unlikely that it would wipe out civilisation Deep Impact-style.

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But it could cause huge water vapours to hurtle into the stratosphere – causing total climate chaos.

Galen Gisler, who used a supercomputer to create the animation, said: "The most significant effect of an impact into the ocean is the injection of water vapour into the stratosphere, with possible climate effects."

Even asteroids that don’t make it to the surface could have a similar effect on greenhouse gases and wave patterns.

Smaller asteroids that go undetected because they explode before reaching Earth.

They create massive waves of pressure that blast out in all directions and have a huge effect on the water.

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But we could still be at risk of an apocalyptic asteroid of doom.

If it strikes a coast, we’re screwed.

Galand warned: "An impact or an airburst [near] a populated shore will be very dangerous."

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