Asteroids torn apart by Earth

douglips writes "BBC News has a story about near-Earth Asteroids being broken up by Earth's tidal forces. The binary asteroid systems are studied to learn the density of the bodies, which is just the sort of thing you need to know if you want to nudge one out of a collision course with Earth."

About time!

[Rick the Red]

It's about time Earth started fighting back! I hope we killed all their dinosaurs, too!

Re:About time!

[zangdesign]

Shame on you! Those asteroids are a natural resource that should be protected for all ages. Just because we're raping the ecosystem and pillaging the natural resources of Mother Earth, or Gaeia, as I like to call her, does not give us the right to rape and pillage outer space.

We need to set up a commission to study and develop plans for the immediate eradication of all tidal forces, especially those killer, destructive ones!

Re:I love asteroid theory...

[!splut]

Asteroid study is a beautiful thing. Not only may we owe our evolutionary path to these speedy hunks of angry rock, but without them, we wouldn't have such quality films as Deep Impact and Armageddon, and thought provoking novels, such as 2061, by Arthur C Clarke.

Oh wait... that wasn't an asteroid, it was a comet... Of course, it wasn't thought proviking either.

can't get enough of this

[adminispheroid]

Somebody at slashdot really really has a hardon for asteroids hitting the Earth. We've been averaging a story a month on this topic over the last year.

Recorded in Alien Battlecruiser, Earth Year 1946

[Herak]

Zeetlix: Excuse me Commander Zoltrax... won't the earthlings notice when our probe ships burst out of the astroids? I mean, astroids don't just split apart every day you know. Our whole mission will fail if they know we exist.

Zoltrax: Ah, you worry too much Zeetlix. Even if they ever get the technology to see the astroids splitting apart, earthlings are much too stupid to realize why.

Zeetlix: Even if they're only earthlings, Commander, eventually they'll figure out something's odd about astroids splitting up ONLY when they come close to their planet.

Zoltrax: Nah, don't worry about it! Someone will just make up some bullshit rationalization for why it's happening, and everyone will believe it. I mean, hey, look what happened to Jesus of Planet Christ and his invasion. A couple millenia later, and they've turned the whole thing around!

Zeetlix: Of course, you're right, Commander. Forgive me. Unleash the astroids!