Earth: Ctrl-Alt-Del

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by worth

I can agree with that. But that technology certainly isn't there yet. They can only track a fraction of the debris in space that could come in contact with earth. There's no sense in worrying about something we currently have no control over. And really what I was referring to was the individual. I mean, most of us here won't have any specific involvement in averting a life ending collision, and there's not much any of us can specifically do, so there's no real point in worrying about it when we wake up in the morning.

I guess the people involved do have to weight the likelihood versus the cost. Especially if we use a large amount of resources for something that will work poorly or not at all. Still I fully support anything cost related that is involved with space. Just all the research and development that comes from it, it's a great investment as a species.

[arsenal]

Originally Posted by alltherage

Global warming is 100% inevitable unless we do something.

Unless it is part of the natrual cycle, then there is nothing we can do.
The science is still out this. There are still discussions and study's on going.

Asteroid impact on earth.. there is definitive proof of that happening.

I don't want to get into another global warming debate, so i'll leave it at that.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by alltherage

Global warming is 100% inevitable unless we do something.

BS (bad science)... Large volcanic eruptions are sufficient to cause global cooling, as witnessed in the recent past with Mount Pinatubo. For that matter, I imagine a nice large asteroid strike would have the same effect.

For all we know, the earth is naturally predisposed to being warmer than it is currently, and it's natural events such as volcanoes and asteroid strikes that have artificially kept the temperature down.

-Scott

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by alltherage

Global warming is 100% inevitable unless we do something.

Originally Posted by arsenal

Unless it is part of the natrual cycle, then there is nothing we can do.
The science is still out this. There are still discussions and study's on going.

Asteroid impact on earth.. there is definitive proof of that happening.

I don't want to get into another global warming debate, so i'll leave it at that.

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

BS (bad science)... Large volcanic eruptions are sufficient to cause global cooling, as witnessed in the recent past with Mount Pinatubo. For that matter, I imagine a nice large asteroid strike would have the same effect.

For all we know, the earth is naturally predisposed to being warmer than it is currently, and it's natural events such as volcanoes and asteroid strikes that have artificially kept the temperature down.

-Scott

Here we go again......

Could you take the Global Warming debate to this current thread?
So how did An Inconvenient Truth become required classroom viewing?

[Burninator]

I am going to play sheriff here and say get back on topic people. Let's not turn this into another global warming thread, I am sure one of those will pop up on it's own in the next couple days anyways. No need to turn every thread into the same debate.

Carrying on. I would also group the asteroid threat on the same level as a giant tsunami on the west coast. Arizona bay could be the new popular vacation spot. But at least with the asteroid threat we have a chance of stopping it, I don't see any means to stop an earth quake.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Burninator

I am going to play sheriff here and say get back on topic people. Let's not turn this into another global warming thread, I am sure one of those will pop up on it's own in the next couple days anyways. No need to turn every thread into the same debate.

Carrying on. I would also group the asteroid threat on the same level as a giant tsunami on the west coast. Arizona bay could be the new popular vacation spot. But at least with the asteroid threat we have a chance of stopping it, I don't see any means to stop an earth quake.

There's only one chance, but I'm going to need the worlds largest staple gun. 4 million sheets of plywood, 60 million 2x4's, a semi truck full of semi clothed coeds and a drunken Angelina Jolie.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

There's only one chance, but I'm going to need the worlds largest staple gun. 4 million sheets of plywood, 60 million 2x4's, a semi truck full of semi clothed coeds and a drunken Angelina Jolie.

Do you need any help?
pm sent

[Locke]

That would certainly be a great way to go though....

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

There's only one chance, but I'm going to need the worlds largest staple gun. 4 million sheets of plywood, 60 million 2x4's, a semi truck full of semi clothed coeds and a drunken Angelina Jolie.

You have my help. It may not work, but at least we'll go out in a spectacular fashion.

[CaptainCrunch]

Sure, I can use the help, while you guys are hammering the plywood and 2x4's together. I'll be doing some hammering of my own.

[ericschand]

Captain Crunch: As the years go on, the odds of an asteroid or other object not hitting us shrinks at an incredible rate.

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

Okay,
But based on a few assumptions:

1) we don't know about the vast majority of the objects in our solar system
2) we don't know about their orbits
3) The are relatively randomly arranged

then we can treat it as any other random event.
On aveage a object of X size hits the earth every 1000000 years.
So the chances of one hitting this year are 1 in 1000000, regardless of how long it's been since the last one hit.

I think the confusion is over odds vs probability. The odds remain the
same, 1/1000000 or whatever the number is.

The probability that we get hit approaches 1 (or 100% if you want) the
longer Earth goes without getting hit.

Capn Crunch meant to say, "As the years go on, the probability of an asteroid or other object not
hitting us shrinks at an incredible rate."

ers

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Sure, I can use the help, while you guys are hammering the plywood and 2x4's together. I'll be doing some hammering of my own.

I don't understand how hammering a stapler is going to help things.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

I don't understand how hammering a stapler is going to help things.

Frankly I don't care what you guys do with the wood and the stapler, I'm busy.

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

The odds don't shrink at all, they stay exactly the same every year. They are indepedant events. Just because we didn't get hit by a once in a million year size rock this year doesn't mean our chances of getting hit by one next year are greater. Our chance of getting hit by a once in a million year size rock on any given year are exacty....1 in 1000000, regardless of how long ago the last one hit.

Ah, someone who understands math.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by ericschand

Captain Crunch: As the years go on, the odds of an asteroid or other object not hitting us shrinks at an incredible rate.



I think the confusion is over odds vs probability. The odds remain the
same, 1/1000000 or whatever the number is.

The probability that we get hit approaches 1 (or 100% if you want) the
longer Earth goes without getting hit.

Capn Crunch meant to say, "As the years go on, the probability of an asteroid or other object not
hitting us shrinks at an incredible rate."

ers

Odds/probability are the exact same thing. If the odds of getting hit by an asteroid this year is 1/1000000, then the probability of it happening this year is 0.000001, the exact same thing. The odds/probability of getting hit by an asteroid this year are no different than the are any other year, regardless of how long ago the last one hit.

[ken0042]

Speaking of the odds and probability; the 1 in a million applies if we are talking about random events. However most large objects within our solar system are not moving on random patterns; quite often there is a definable flight path or orbit at work.

Here's something I've wondered about though. What if something quite massive were to slam into the moon at the right angle? Could we run the risk of the moon coming crashing down upon us? I'm thinking that could hurt.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Speaking of the odds and probability; the 1 in a million applies if we are talking about random events. However most large objects within our solar system are not moving on random patterns; quite often there is a definable flight path or orbit at work.

Here's something I've wondered about though. What if something quite massive were to slam into the moon at the right angle? Could we run the risk of the moon coming crashing down upon us? I'm thinking that could hurt.

The randomness comes form the fact that despite everything presumably being in nice predictable orbits, we don't know where they are, and we're presuming that these orbits are ramdomly distributed through the solar system.

As for the moon hitting us. I'm thinking that anything big enought to bump the moon into us would more than likely destroy a fairly large portion of hte moon noon while it was at it. So maybe we'd just get hit by a bunch of rather large moon chunks.

[worth]

if there was a collision large enough to push the moon into us, the collision of the first two would probably be enough in itself to do a fair amount of damage on earth. Not to mention, with no moon...things might get a little weird down here on earth.

[I_H8_Crawford]

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

The randomness comes form the fact that despite everything presumably being in nice predictable orbits, we don't know where they are, and we're presuming that these orbits are ramdomly distributed through the solar system.

As for the moon hitting us. I'm thinking that anything big enought to bump the moon into us would more than likely destroy a fairly large portion of hte moon noon while it was at it. So maybe we'd just get hit by a bunch of rather large moon chunks.

Yeah I'd agree with that, and then our oceans would be screwed too - no more tides.

[Hemi-Cuda]

from my understading, the moon was formed in the first place by a huge asteroid impacting earth and the resulting debris being blown into space. so maybe if something hit the moon we'd get a mini-moon? that'd be kinda neat