Would Scientists tell us if world is going to end tomorrow?

in #science4 years ago

Almost all, to a greater or lesser extent, feel a certain distrust of institutions, whether political, military, scientific, or religious. And surely at some point, we have thought that many things are hidden from us. Therefore, it is not strange that many people ask: if an asteroid were about to collide with our planet, would they inform us of the coming cataclysm?

Michelle Thaller, a NASA astronomer, talked about this issue in a talk on YouTube. And his answer was yes. That space agency scientists would inform us about it. “In addition, there are so many telescopes of individuals watching the sky, that it would be impossible for that danger to go unnoticed. Trying to hide it would make no sense, ”he explained.

The researcher also said that this question had been asked many times, especially in 2012, the date on which, according to a supposed Mayan prophecy, the end of the world was going to occur. “I used to answer with another question. Would I be working right now if I knew that the end of the world was so close? And I told people that, if they see the scientists disappear, surrendered to drink, and squander their professional credit, then it would be when they should worry, ”she said.

The astronomer also explained that there was no significant short-term risk that a large asteroid could impact our planet. That the greatest danger could be assumed by others of small size, whose collision would not imply the destruction of the planet, but that they could destroy a city if they impacted it.