Cibbuano13 year old boy corrects NASA's calculations
April 21st 2008 07:54
"Don't worry," they say, "it'll never happen. Well, not never, but the probability is so small, it's like one in a zillion. Get yourself a Happy Meal and chill out, duuuuude."
Sorry - what was that probability?
"Um, we calculate it to be 1 in 45 000. And I gotta say - I like those odds."
Unfortunately for all of us here on the planet, including Bruce Willis and his band of working-class heroes, a 13-year-old boy decided to do the calculations himself and found that the chances were more like one in 450.
Suckerin' Suckatash! That suggests a collision is imminent! Brace yourselves for impact!
" Nico Marquardt used telescopic findings from the Institute of Astrophysics in Potsdam (AIP) to calculate that there was a 1 in 450 chance that the Apophis asteroid will collide with Earth, the Potsdamer Neuerster Nachrichten reported. "
But, as these things do, the boy turns out to be incorrect. New Scientist published a brief from NASA pooh-poohing the boy's results:
""The idea that we've somehow been corrected is absolutely untrue," Chesley told New Scientist. "We stand by our calculations."
A statement on NASA's website by Donald Yeomans, who heads NASA's Near-Earth Object Program Office, confirms that NASA has not changed its estimate of 1 in 45,000 for Apophis's impact risk."
Naturally, this means a whole new round of wedgies for the young boy. Those physics bullies will definitely get the waistband up over his head. One in 450! Hah! Don't make me laugh!
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
It either will happen or it will not happen.
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
cheers
fog
Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
I wonder how that 13-year-old even approached the calculations? Doesn't NASA use massive computers to keep track?
Comment by The wonderful Peter Yang
The wonderful Peter Yang's No.1 blog
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
Valiant effort though.
Comment by Louie
Climate Forum
Climate Red
randomthoughts
Phil's Wellness Tips
1 in 450 chance of the end of the world......not good in an election year
Comment by Ahmed
techy.Bytes
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Qwerk
Cinema Three
I HATE this kind of media manipulation, the idiot who wrote about this should be hung up by his gnads.
Here's one source: Really Long Link