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Name: Gmike
Status: N/A
Age: 8
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 1993 - 1999
Question:
After what happened on Mars, if that string of rocks and gas was coming toward earth could we destroy it with a laser ? If so what kind? I am 8 years old.

Replies:
That's a good question (although it was Jupiter that recently got hit) We don't yet have any lasers powerful enough to destroy or deflect a large meteor, asteroid, or comet. Some scientists think we might be able to use nuclear weapons to deflect an object on a collision course with the earth if we detect the object early enough. The real problem is detecting the object: even a large meteor is very, very small compared to a moon or planet, and space (as they say) is a very big place.

Hawley


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