Earth Could Collide With Other Planets 255
Everybody put on your helmet;
Smivs writes "Astronomers calculate there is a tiny chance that Mars or Venus could collide with Earth — though it would not happen for at least a billion years.
The finding comes from simulations to show how orbits of planets might evolve billions of years into the future. But the calculated chances of such events occurring are tiny. Writing in the journal Nature, a team led by Jacques Laskar shows there is also a chance Mercury could strike Venus and merge into a larger planet. Professor Laskar of the Paris Observatory and his colleagues also report that Mars might experience a close encounter with Jupiter — whose massive gravity could hurl the Red Planet out of our Solar System."
Monkeys could fly out of my butt... (Score:1, Funny)
whats up woth bbc today (Score:5, Funny)
first they announce that the recession is over in the UK (yeh right!)
then we find out earth is about to collide with another planet
at least the later is more believable :D
Re:Yeah... And there's also a small chance... (Score:5, Funny)
Next up.. How to make a tinfoil hat that can stop the CIA's mind control rays.
You have my undivided attention.
Re:Or earth could turn into an elephant (Score:5, Funny)
There are tiny odds of just about anything happening, why is it news?
Yeah, and we can't even use the excuse that it was a posting by kdawson. Come on, Taco!
This new science is getting scary (Score:5, Funny)
Let's go back to crystalline spheres and immutable heavens. That was a much safer design model
Re:Damn... (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Or earth could turn into an elephant (Score:5, Funny)
There are tiny odds of just about anything happening
I know that fervent believers will condemn my denial of the Elephant Rapture, but there is zero chance of the Earth turning into a proboscidean of any sort.
Worlds collide! (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Never mind (Score:3, Funny)
And no need to switch to 128bit timestamp when the Earth is no more. What a relief.
Re:This new science is getting scary (Score:4, Funny)
Let's go back to crystalline spheres and immutable heavens. That was a much safer design model
Sadly we weren't using version control back then and our backups have been lost. It looks like we can't revert to the last stable version so we will have to find a way to make the current system stable until we can upgrade to Universe 2.0.
Re:I thought we all agreed that the French... (Score:2, Funny)
Give a geek a model, and he'll fret for a day. Teach a geek to model, and he'll have major news media fretting forever...
There, fixed that for you. Because:
Give a man a model, and he'll have a great time with her.
Re:Or earth could turn into an elephant (Score:4, Funny)
It's Elephants all the way down, damn it!
This reminds me of a story.. (Score:2, Funny)
The student wakes up suddenly with a panicked look and asks the professor to repeat his statement.
The professor does so, and the student says "Whew. I thought you said a million years."
I can't seem to bring myself to worry, either way.
Re:Damned Scientists (Score:4, Funny)
Why can't they come up with a plausible theory of apocalypse by snu-snu?
Unfortunately, it seems, the world ends not with a bang but a whimper.
Re:Or earth could turn into an elephant (Score:3, Funny)
Your ideas are intriguing and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.
Re:Its not what happens in 5 Gyr... (Score:5, Funny)
A Jupiter like planet has been catapulted out of another solar system and is planning a visit... Latest calculations predict collision with Earth somewhere at the end of 2012.
"The year, 1994. From out of space, comes a runaway planet, hurtling between the Earth and the Moon, unleashing cosmic destruction. Man's civilization is cast in ruin.
"Two thousand years later, Earth is reborn. A strange new world rises from the old. A world of savagery, super-science, and sorcery.
"But one man bursts his bonds to fight for justice. With his companions, Ookla the Mok and Princess Ariel, he pits his strength, his courage, and his fabulous Sunsword, against the forces of evil. He is Thundarr, the Barbarian!"