• Question: if a 8 mile wide comet hits earth at 27 miles per second will it end the world???

    Asked by bumblebee3004 to Simon, Julia, Delma, Andrew, Alex on 10 Dec 2015.
    • Photo: Andrew Winnard

      Andrew Winnard answered on 10 Dec 2015:


      Well considering we think that the asteroid that ended the dinosaurs was anywhere from 2.5 to 12miles across. I think an 8 mile wide comet would be enough to cause a level of devestation that could wipe out humans. The Earth however would likely carry on as it did after the dinosaurs. Intelligent life may survive the devastation years or it might develop again after a few million years 🙂

    • Photo: Simon Challis

      Simon Challis answered on 10 Dec 2015:


      Hey bumblebee3004!

      Andrew nailed in again! But something tells me you already new the answer to that question right? 😉

    • Photo: Alexander Finch

      Alexander Finch answered on 11 Dec 2015:


      You can try it yourself with this simulator:

      http://purdue.edu/impactearth

      Looks like Andrew’s about right – the planet would be fine, as would some smaller lifeforms, but all us mammals and larger animals are in trouble! If not from the immediate impact, then from the huge changes in climate that would happen for a few years after.

    • Photo: Julia Attias

      Julia Attias answered on 11 Dec 2015:


      Thanks for the answers guys – I learnt something too from that!

    • Photo: Delma Childers

      Delma Childers answered on 12 Dec 2015:


      Another reason studying bacteria can be useful – they’ll outlive us on this one! 😀

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