Asteroid Day 2016 Top Quotes and Remembering Tunguska Event – Asteroids a Constant Threat to Earth?
Top Quotes in Commemoration of Asteriod Day 2016
According to scientists, June 30 is Asteroid Day and the anniversary of the Tunguska event where Earth was struck with a powerful asteroid.
The asteroid landed in Podkamennaya Tunguska River in Russia on 1908. The asteroid impact would have been deadly, but fortunately, it hit 1,000 square miles of Siberian forest. The asteroid was reportedly so powerful that people who dwelled 40 miles away from the place of impact were flung from their chairs and porches.
Asteroids: Constant Threat to Earth
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Asteroid Day's website stated that there are more than a million asteroids that could potentially collide with Earth. However, scientists were only able to discover a mere percent of them. According to notable scientists, finding these near-Earth spacerocks is critical to our survival.
Currently, NASA has a list of potentially deadly asteroids. There is currently a little over 1,700 identified asteroids and a few are over one kilometer in diameter.
Notable Scientists on Asteroid Day
On this day, various groups, movements and personalities are making others aware of the potential impact of near-Earth asteroids and how to protect against it. Asteroid Day was co-founded by Dr. Brian May, an astrophysicist and band member of Queen.
"Our goal is to dedicate one day each year to learn about asteroids, the origins of our universe, and to support the resources necessary to see, track and deflect dangerous asteroids from Earth's orbital path," May said. "Asteroids are a natural disaster we know how to prevent."
Astrologists and scientists are working hand in hand to campaign about asteroids for global awareness.
"Asteroids are the only natural disaster we know how to prevent and protecting our planet, families and communities is the goal of Asteroid Day," co-founder Grigorij Richters said. "Asteroids teach us about the origins of life, but they also can impact the future of our species and life on Earth."
Here are other notable quotes from scientists and asteroid-aware individuals regarding the importance of knowing the threat of asteroids, as documented in the Asteroid Day website:
"The only way we can insure the people and governments remain aware of these long term risks, which cumulatively are serious, is through the public being aware of them." -- Lord Martin Rees
"If the Earth gets hit by an asteroid, it's game over. It's control-alt-delete for civilization" -- Bill Nye
"We really need an internationally agreed and coordinated strategy for the development of asteroid litigation technology and very importantly the implementation of procedures for an emergency deflection scenario." -- Alan Harris
"The most important goal of all planetary defense efforts is to prevent the loss of life." -- Rusty Schweickart
