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CCNet 133/2002 - 19 November 2002
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"If this black hole got within striking distance of Earth, Mirabel said via e-mail, "It could disrupt the solar system. However, this one will not come closer than 1,000 light- years in the next 200 million years," he said. "The probability of a catastrophic event on the Earth from black holes moving at high speed is almost zero compared with the probability of a catastrophic event from asteroids or comets."
-- Reuters, 18 November 2002

"Eventually we will discover something. Society should start planning for that unexpected but potentially tragic possibility."
-- David Morrison, The New York Times, 19 November 2002

"Few scientists are arguing that society should be developing an asteroid-deflection system, given the extremely low odds of an impact any time soon. "A major technological effort at this time is probably ill conceived because our children will be so much better at it," said Dr. Alan W. Harris of the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo.
-- Henry Fountain, The New York Times, 19 November 2002

"Let us now do the groundwork for the yet unknown environmental challenge that will come some day in the form of a major impact. If we don't develop anything now, and we suddenly find something on a collision course with the Earth, our only choice will be to use nuclear weapons, with all the associated risks of blowing the object into pieces or not providing enough push. Therefore, it is important to test and develop something now."
-- PROJECT B612 (David Morrison, Clark Chapman, et al.)
http://b612.boulder.swri.edu/

- ><><><>< - ><><>< - ><>< - ><><>< - ><><><>< -

1. ARMAGEDDON CAN WAIT: STOPPING KILLER ASTEROIDS . . .
The New York Times, 19 November 2002

• DAZZLING DISPLAY: EARLY RESULTS OF THE LEONID METEOR SHOWER . . .
Space.com, 19 November 2002

• TIS GREAT BRITISH CLIMATE: METEOR SHOWER HIDDEN BY CLOUD . . .
BBC News Online, 19 November 2002

• UH-HUH: "RUNAWAY BLACK HOLE HEADING OUR WAY" . . .
Houston Chronicle, 18 November 2002

...And, Finally:

• NAZIS ON SPEED WERE TOO SLOW . . .
Ananova, 19 November 2002

All currently available at CCNet.

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Dan

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