Asteroids, comparatively small interplanetary bodies anywhere from a hundred yards to a few miles in diameter, are always whizzing around the solar system. Some of those asteroids come close to Earth and other planets. Do you need to worry about them?
Past Evidence
If you want so see evidence of an asteroid’s impact on solid rock, just look at detailed pictures of the Moon or any of the other planets. They are pock-marked from one side to the other with impact craters, some stretching hundreds of miles across.
In contrast, planet Earth has relatively few of such visible impact deformations. The main reasons are:
In contrast to other planets and their moons, Earth`s surface is predominantly covered by water. Any asteroid falling on that would certainly create havoc in the biosphere, but may not leave any lasting evidence of its site of arrival.
In contrast to other planets and their moons, the constant cycles of dry and wet, freeze and thaw experienced on Earth, as well as the actions of plants and animals tend to obliterate the visible evidence of any heavenly body`s impact over a comparatively short time.
Likelihood of Impact
Even though there are numerous asteroid and large meteorite impact craters on Earth, the likelihood of another one arriving soon is quite limited. The pictures of other planets or the Moon show what happened over a long, long period of time; billions of years in fact.
Small Odds
So, unless you expect to live a few million years or so, there is no need to worry. The odds are incredibly small. In any event an asteroid`s speed of 10 to 50 miles per SECOND would wipe you out before you knew what happened.
Until then, enjoy life!
