ILLUSTRATION. What would happen if a giant asteroid hit Earth? This is what scientists say.
Writer: Arif Budianto
KONTAN.CO.ID – What would happen if a giant asteroid hit Earth? Here’s what scientists say about the impact when a giant asteroid hits Earth.
Some of the news about asteroids approaching Earth, you may have seen recently. NASA also revealed that no dangerous asteroids have come to affect this planet inhabited by many living things.
However, it is not uncommon for some people to wonder, what will happen if an asteroid hits Earth?
Quoted from Science Times, according to The Sun, the impact of an asteroid hitting Earth depends on its size.
An asteroid impact could cause an extinction and scientists have developed simulations to determine how bad it could be.
Meanwhile, according to reports TweakTown, the asteroid affects the planet, although because of its minimal diameter, this rock from outer space burns up in Earth’s atmosphere before it even reaches the surface.
Not many asteroids reach the surface, although if they do exist and are large enough, their impact can be felt by all of Earth’s inhabitants.
Scientists give examples of asteroids that reach the Earth’s surface. It was the asteroid that caused the extinction of the Dinosaurs, estimated to have a diameter of seven and a half miles and moving at a speed of about 27,000 miles per hour.
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On the other hand, professor of physics and astronomy Britt Scharringhausen of Beloit College explains what happens when an asteroid hits Earth.
In his explanation, Earth will experience shock waves, fires, acid rain, earthquakes, winter, and a blocked sun for about two years.
He added that even if an effect of this scale occurred, not all life on the planet would end. In fact, humans could be one of the living species.
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All the ashes from the fire as well as finger debris from its effects will hang in the atmosphere for some time. The earth is affected by what is known as the winter impact.
You see, it’s the ash and debris that block the sun’s rays, and all the ash that gets into the ocean acidifies the top layer. Therefore, things burned, everything in the ocean was killed, and the Earth became frozen.
This would then occur for about two years of constant winter.
Despite all that, we all hope there are no horrific incidents or phenomena related to asteroids hitting Earth in the future.
However, experts are reportedly still skeptical about the defense of Earth from potentially dangerous objects or objects from outer space.
NASA has launched a mission to bolster Earth’s defenses via DART with a spacecraft that will hit the asteroid. This mission aims to deflect the asteroid so that it deviates from a path that could potentially approach Earth.
