Europe considers asteroid shield

An asteroid known as 433 Eros is heading Earth's way. Discovered in 1898, it was the first asteroid to be orbited by a probe back in 2000. It's path, astrologists say, has not been this close to Earth since 1975.

And while scientists say the great chunk of space rock poses no risk this time round, its appearance has focused attention on European plans - to the tune of $5 million - to develop an asteroid shield.

Al Jazeera's Tarek Bazley explains.

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[Vengeant1]

I got a idea, HAARP the bitch. Deathray is the only way ;).

[meltingEyeballs]

@Uhmu45 You fail to understand my comments. The research from such asteroid shield can be weaponized & potentially destroy us all, way before we even get to smell the asteroid. There is a much higher chance to get kill by your fellow earthlings than be hit by an asteroid which is tens of thousands of years away. There must be an elegant way to resolve this rather by the sheer brute force "shield" & we've still plenty of time to find out.

[JRFrancisco20088]

In a hundred thousand years? How is that our problem?

[Gronkor]

@brenda30490 I'd rather say this asteroid is God's way of testing the power of our technological know-how.

[111bigtrucks]

@damosapian exactly tesla ; )

[123immyself]

@boriscartman oh okay..and you dont have kids and wont have any grandchildren by then ? at this time i will be 76.....and im sure i will have great grandchildren too....

[chrisbartley88]

why not plant a nueclar bomb on it and wait untill its seriously far away til it explodes then we're safer lol

[videofan88]

i seen one too last night

[tanio12]

@damosapian

well i just witnessed a fireball over my house and i gotta funky feeling that was just the prelude to bigger things that are to come.

[TheCombineify]

@brenda30490 HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA

[comactortony]

5 million? thats all? AN ASTEROID SHIELD!! & thats their budget? what is it, a giant mosquito net?