Mysterious bodies of space

2001/03/05 Elhuyar Zientzia

• Astronomia

The imagination by saying comets and asteroids starts at speed, remembering mysteries and legends. After watching several films from the United States, it seems that they are bodies that float in space ready to destroy us.

And since the truth is halfway, they are not so mysterious or so dangerous. It is true that some massive extinctions that have occurred in Earth's history may be related to asteroids. The best known is the asteroid that destroyed the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. One study suggests that mass extinction, which occurred a few days ago, 250 million years ago, also the largest in history, may be related to the fall of an asteroid. However, most meteorites that fall to Earth are not causing such catastrophes. On March 1, for example, the news of the fall of a meteorite in the British city of York was opened. Something that came from the sky excavated a meter on the ground, but it has not yet been confirmed whether it is a meteorite or whether it can be part of a satellite.

On the other hand, it is also possible that life is due to asteroids and comets. In fact, it is believed that united asteroids formed planets (including Earth) and there is a theory that water comes from comets. Comets are largely ice, and according to this theory, every minute 20 small comets enter the Earth's atmosphere. The oceans were formed with water from those molten comets. This theory is fully discussed because such comets have never been observed, although a researcher has just said that they can be seen in a photo made by himself.

Meteorites (remnants of asteroids and comets) fall to Earth more often than expected, but most are not enough to cause catastrophes. However, and just in case, the system is underway to spy on asteroids and comets that can collide with Earth in the United States. Sleep calm because the world is safe.