Did humanity narrowly avoid a catastrophic asteroid impact? That’s the question posed by this week’s “The Sky at Night” on BBC Four. The episode examines the near-miss of asteroid 2024 YR4, a “city killer” that passed unnervingly close to Earth. George Dransfield outlines the potential devastation of such an impact, from vaporizing solid rock to unleashing wind blasts exceeding hurricane force.
Chris Lintott sits down with Dr. Meg Schwamb to unravel the complexities of calculating asteroid strike probabilities, while Maggie Aderin-Pocock explores the options for planetary defense. Could we deflect a future asteroid headed our way? What measures are in place to protect our planet from cosmic threats?
Adding to the discussion, George Dransfield consults with Dr. Carly Howett to discuss how NASA’s Lucy Mission may yield crucial data for future planetary defense strategies. Maggie Aderin-Pocock speaks to Prof. Hugh Lewis about the international community’s response protocols for potential asteroid threats. As always, Pete Lawrence provides a guide to upcoming celestial events. Catch this exploration of cosmic near-misses on Monday, April 14th at 10:00 PM on BBC Four.
