What would you say to a kid who asks you this question? (pole included)

[Arcadio]

So this 10-year-old kid asked me if an asteroid like the one that killed the dinosaurs could crash into Earth again...

I thought about it for a second, and answered that yes, another one could strike the Earth again, but that it's very unlikely. Kid is scared now.

Later I realized that maybe I should've said that scientists are actively monitoring asteroids and that if one was coming towards Earth, scientists could destroy it.

What would you answer?

 

[zerocool84]

I'd say that we'd only be saved if we removed H from the alphabet.

 

[lxskllr]

Same as you. If the kid showed concern, I'd point out that the chances of that happening in his lifetime were infinitesimal.

 

[Sluggo]

You shouldn't answer until the kid says Earf.

Don't him slip in an H on you.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

tell him santa will save us from the asteroid

 

[schneiderguy]

He's 10 years old and that scared him? Sounds like you need to toughen him up or he'll grow up and turn out as a girly man like most of the people here.

 

[RocksteadyDotNet]

You did the right thing, you told him the truth. Never lie to a kid about important shit.

If they ask if god is real, tell them the truth and say No.

Also, at this point in time we couldn't stop and asteroid hitting earth.

 

[Arcadio]

He's 10 years old and that scared him? Sounds like you need to toughen him up or he'll grow up and turn out as a girly man like most of the people here.

That's the kid's parent's job.

 

[Spacehead]

On October 4, 2010 there were 1147 potentially hazardous asteroids.

http://www.spaceweather.com/



Those are just the ones we know of.
Yeah, i would of told him the same as you did, but, as someone already mentioned, the chances are small in his lifetime.

If he's really scared about this now, send him over the DC forums & ask about Orbit@home.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Yes but, don't worry, we'll most likely kill you in the morning.

 

[Jeff7]

Teach him about probability and statistics. And then teach him about astronomy.


Though in a sense, yeah, it is a kind of unsettling idea that so few resources are devoted to watching out for what could quite potentially count as an "extinction level event." The only reason it's not regarded as a threat is the usual human failing or mindset: "Well, it probably won't happen to me, so I don't care."
Yes, it probably won't happen this generation. Or maybe not for another thousand years. Or maybe tomorrow. But it's quite likely that it will happen again at some point in time. Jupiter did a decent job of cleaning up a lot of the random junk flying around the inner Solar System, but it wasn't really very thorough about getting everything.

(You just know that if they do spot a big one coming in with only a week's notice, everyone's going to blame the science community first, and not the fact that they are allocated so few resources for this particular endeavor.)

...
If he's really scared about this now, send him over the DC forums & ask about Orbit@home.

Hmm....well, I suppose I could use a new spaceheater. (a busy quad core CPU)

 

[Schadenfroh]

Another reason we should continue to develop weapons of mass destruction.

 

[PottedMeat]

'it's more likely pedobear will get ya'

then you do a creepy smile

 

[nageov3t]

"it's a lot more likely that your mom and dad get run over by a bus tomorrow."

 

[BoomerD]

"Yes, another asteroid could strike the Earth at almost any minute and would most likely wipe out all life on the planet."

Night kid...sleep tight.

 

[Taejin]

So this 10-year-old kid asked me if an asteroid like the one that killed the dinosaurs could crash into Earth again...

I thought about it for a second, and answered that yes, another one could strike the Earth again, but that it's very unlikely. Kid is scared now.

Later I realized that maybe I should've said that scientists are actively monitoring asteroids and that if one was coming towards Earth, scientists could destroy it.

What would you answer?

shut up

 

[illusion88]

What are you doing hanging around 10 year olds?

 

[Ken g6]

After telling him what you told him, I'd send him to the library to look for this book.

If he's really scared about this now, send him over the DC forums & ask about Orbit@home.

I'm ashamed to admit this wasn't my first thought! :$

 

[JEDIYoda]

What would you answer?

The truth!!

 

[BoomerD]

BTW, I'm surprised that no one has caught the obvious answer...

"Hey kid, I can tell ya, but first, do you have any nekkid pictures of your mom?"

 

[Kadarin]

You should have told him that it would be impossible, that our loving Savior and God would never let such a thing happen.

 

[her209]

Tell him the truth. Who knows, maybe he's the kid that is responsible for creating the machine/weapon responsible for saving life on Earth because someone didn't lie to him when he was 10-years-old.

 

[Arcadio]

After telling him what you told him, I'd send him to the library to look for this book.

Interesting.... that might not be such a bad idea.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

Tell the kid the next death asteroid is coming December 24th of this year. And then tell him Santa is delivering it.

 

[Barfo]

Though in a sense, yeah, it is a kind of unsettling idea that so few resources are devoted to watching out for what could quite potentially count as an "extinction level event." The only reason it's not regarded as a threat is the usual human failing or mindset: "Well, it probably won't happen to me, so I don't care."

Why would you want to devote more resources to asteroid watching if we can't stop it anyway?