Last Resort: When Asteroids Collide and the “Armageddon” Option

The idea of a giant asteroid hurtling toward Earth sounds like the plot of a science fiction movie. However, it’s a very real, albeit low-probability, threat that scientists take incredibly seriously. While the vast majority of asteroids are harmlessly drifting through space, there are those near-Earth objects (NEOs) that could potentially intersect our planet’s orbit. Should a significantly large asteroid be on a direct collision course, the consequences would be catastrophic. This is where the concept of planetary defense comes into play, specifically the controversial but necessary “Armageddon” approach – the use of nuclear explosives to deflect or disrupt a dangerous asteroid.