Scientist Still Admires Asteroids That Can Destroy Earth and Cause Mass Extinctions

A scientist warned that all life on Earth may soon get wiped out by a massive impact event caused by a killer asteroid. However, despite the serious threat asteroids pose on Earth, the scientist still believes that these space rocks should still be revered.

Currently, Earth’s planetary defense relies on NASA’s ability to spot asteroids that might be on a collision course with the planet. Unfortunately, the space agency admitted that it sometimes fails to detect asteroids as they’re approaching Earth.

Recently, a member of the agency admitted that there are a number of planet-killer asteroids in space that NASA has not yet detected.

Since these kinds of monster asteroids exist undetected in space, cosmochemist Natalie Starkey strongly believes that it is possible for Earth to get completely destroyed by a massive cosmic rock. But, the scientist isn’t too worried about an Earth-ending impact event. Despite the certainty of death, Starkey believes that an asteroid impact could lead to the emergence of new life on the planet.

“Should asteroids be feared or revered?” Starkey stated according to Express. “Well, my answer probably won’t surprise you and it is, of course, that they should be revered.”

“It is certainly possible that human existence on our planet may one day end because of a huge Earth-shattering impact, but we must remember that life might have only begun in the first place because of very similar impacts early in Earth history,” she added.

According to Starkey, a massive impact event would cause Earth to undergo the same process that took place after the major asteroid strike that took out the dinosaurs over 65 million years ago. The scientist noted that this historical event created an environmental condition that allowed surviving organisms to flourish.

“[The asteroids’] role in events such as the mass extinction 65 million years ago could be just one example of how they helped create an environment that allowed life like ours to develop,” Starkey explained.

“The end of the dinosaurs, and many other species, meant that niches were opened up for a range of mammals in different shapes and sizes to find a comfortable place on Earth, in a landscape that was suddenly free from competitors,” she added.