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NASA aims to destroy an Empire State Building-sized asteroid (interestingengineering.com)

submitted 1 year ago by Bobo@lemm.ee to c/science

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Astronomers have been closely monitoring Bennu, which swings close to Earth every six years. However, the real cause for concern arises from the possibility that on September 24, 2182, Bennu could collide with our planet with a force equivalent to 22 atomic bombs. While the odds of such a catastrophic strike are estimated at 1 in 2,700, NASA is not taking any chances.

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[–] theKalash@feddit.ch 39 points 1 year ago (14 children)

a force equivalent to 22 atomic bombs.

What kind of murica unit is this?

Also there is a pretty big difference between 22 Davy Crocketts and 22 Tsar Bombas.

[–] WingedThing@lemmy.one 11 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Comparing high-energy events, especially ones that cause destruction, to weapons that have been used is very common, not just in "murica"

The lack of specificity as to what kind of atomic bomb is silly, though.

[–] theKalash@feddit.ch 8 points 1 year ago

Yeah, usually you put it into TNT equivalants. Which in itself isn't useful, but it allows me to look up which order of magnituted of atomic bomb we're talking about. And somebody actually put in the work and it is 22 of the biggest bombs ever. (which ironically are Sovjet, not Murican).

Anyway, It was really just a cheap "Americans don't use metric joke", don't overthink it.

[–] ink@r.nf 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Comparing high-energy events, especially ones that cause destruction, to weapons that have been used is very common, not just in “murica”

can you provide a few examples?

[–] shrugal@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Watch one kurzgesagt video about how to destroy the planet.

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