Earth Isn't Prepared to Stop a Rogue Asteroid

A group of scientists, joined by a member of Congress, used the 100th anniversary of the Tunguska asteroid event this week to draw attention to their concern that the United States is not doing enough to defend the planet against the dangers posed by near-Earth objects. "We are not prepared at this time to prevent the massive death and destruction that would occur if an object from space hit the Earth as it did in Tunguska," said Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., at the offices of the Planetary Society. If an asteroid the size of the one thought to have exploded in the air above Tunguska, in Siberia, were to explode over Los Angeles, he said, the destruction would range over much of Southern California.