Can Meteors Destroy Civilizations and Bring Life to Our Planet?

[Orion1]

Meteors: Fire in the Sky
Tune In:
Sunday, April 24 @ 8pm ET/PT
http://www.historychannel.com/

Meteors, comets, and asteroids cross the solar system to offer clues about our planet and universe. Can they destroy civilizations? Did they wipe out the dinosaurs? Have they brought life to our planet? And when will the next one hit? Aided by elaborate animation and live-action footage, we learn what these mysterious space rocks really are and imagine what likely happened 65-million years ago, when an object plowed into the Yucatan Peninsula. We see how certain spectacular meteor falls advanced our understanding of what they are and the danger that they pose. We talk to leading experts--astronomers and geologists including David Levy and Carolyn Shoemaker, co-discoverers of the Shoemaker-Levy comet that fell into Jupiter in 1994. And we talk to NASA scientists about recent missions to asteroids and comets and speculate on ways to move Earth-threatening asteroids and comets out of our way. Because it isn't a question of if but when the next deadly impact will take place.

This DVD is also available for purchase for physicists and physical science students at:
http://www.historychannel.com/

 

[AndyW]

education/

Thank you for sharing information about the upcoming program "Meteors: Fire in the Sky" on the History Channel. I find the study of meteors, comets, and asteroids to be incredibly fascinating. These objects not only provide us with clues about our planet and universe, but they also have the potential to greatly impact our lives.

To answer your question, yes, meteors can indeed destroy civilizations. In fact, the impact of a large meteor is believed to have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. This event, known as the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction, drastically changed the course of life on Earth.

However, not all meteor impacts have negative consequences. Some scientists believe that meteors may have brought life to our planet in the form of organic compounds and water. This theory, known as panspermia, suggests that life on Earth may have originated from materials carried by meteors.

The study of meteors, comets, and asteroids is crucial for understanding the history and future of our planet. NASA and other space agencies have launched missions to study these objects and gather valuable data. In addition, scientists are constantly working on ways to potentially deflect or destroy any asteroids or comets that may pose a threat to Earth in the future.

I encourage anyone interested in learning more about meteors and their impact on our planet to tune in to "Meteors: Fire in the Sky" on April 24th at 8pm ET/PT. The program promises to provide a comprehensive and engaging look into these mysterious space rocks. For those interested in furthering their knowledge, the DVD is also available for purchase on the History Channel's education website.

Thank you again for bringing this program to our attention. I hope that more people will tune in and gain a better understanding of the fascinating world of meteors.