A direct asteroid hit wiped dinosaurs off the face of the planet. Another such catastrophe may make humans extinct.
NASA's Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) has set its eyes on three asteroids who are likely to intersect Earth's orbit. All of these asteroids are hurtling through space towards the earth at a breathtaking speed of thousands of miles per hour.
First of these asteroids is asteroid 2019 SE8. It has a diameter of just 82 feet but it is travelling through space at the speed of 51,000 miles per hour. The supremely high speed packs a great punch and if it is able to collide with earth, it will cause major destruction.
The second asteroid has a code name of 2019 SD8. It is a celestial body with a diameter of just 22 feet. It has a speed of 24,000 miles per hour.
The third asteroid is 43 feet across and is travelling with a speed of 23,000 miles per hour.
Hundreds of space rocks fall on the earth daily. But the earth's atmosphere completely burns them before they strike the surface. This, however, may not happen in case of huge asteroids and they may collide with the earth.
Even a mid-air explosion or collision with another asteroid can cause problems to us surface dwellers.
In 2013, a 66-foot asteroid exploded in mid-air over Russia and caused damage to buildings in a city. Media reports suggest that about 7000 buildings were damaged in at least some manner.
NASA, therefore, keeps a close watch over such space rocks that zoom past us.
NASA has said that chances of three asteroids hitting the earth are slim. But it remains to be seen if a mid-air explosion leads to any damagae on the surface of the earth.
The asteroids will enter earth's orbit today (October 1).
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