'36,765 near-Earth objects': 400m Asteroid narrowly missed us by hours. Are we prepared for next one?
Produced by: Manoj Kumar
Explosive Entry
A fiery asteroid exploded above Siberia this week, detected by NASA only seven hours before impact—a stark reminder of how unprepared we are for cosmic threats.
Close Call
SETI Institute’s Franck Marchis warns, “If this asteroid were slightly larger, entire cities could have been obliterated.”
Blind Spots
NASA and ESA track over 36,765 near-Earth objects, but massive gaps in sky monitoring could leave us vulnerable to catastrophic surprises.
Amateur Eyes
Marchis urges citizen astronomers to join the effort, warning, “Without global vigilance, the next asteroid could strike without notice.”
Holiday Panic
In 2004, a 400m-wide asteroid was predicted to hit Earth on Christmas Day, sparking global panic until it narrowly missed by mere hours.
Unstoppable Threat
Marchis warns that asteroids smaller than 40m—capable of leveling entire regions—could strike Earth undetected, leaving no time to react.
Proven Deflection
NASA’s DART mission successfully altered an asteroid’s path, but Marchis cautions, “Without years of warning, we’re still defenseless.”
Dark Zones
Large regions of the planet remain unmonitored, creating blind spots where deadly asteroids can approach undetected until it's too late.
Global Survival
Marchis calls for urgent expansion of detection efforts, declaring, “Our civilization’s survival depends on finding every deadly asteroid before they find us.”