Should You Worry About A ‘Potentially Hazardous’ Asteroid Hurtling Toward Earth?

Our planet could be hit by an asteroid, but sometimes headlines overstate the risk.

By Alexandra HartJanuary 30, 2018 1:42 pm

During this weekend’s Super Bowl game, an asteroid that reports say is ‘“potentially hazardous” will be near the Earth. Should we be concerned by such dire headlines?

Science Blogger Phil Plait, known as the Bad Astronomer, says it’s a good idea to take a step back from the brink of fear, even though asteroids can cause damage on Earth.

“This is a case where astronomers think a little bit different than ‘normal people’ and we tend to think on things over the long term,” Plait says.

What you’ll hear in this segment:

–What “potentially hazardous” means

–What’s going on with the currently approaching asteroid

–Why asteroids come toward the Earth

–What risks asteroids actually pose to our planet

Written by Angela Bonilla.