What would happen if a massive asteroid struck your city or state? You can find out who or what would survive thanks to a new web app.
The new web app Asteroid Launcher allows users to simulate the effects of an asteroid striking anywhere on Earth. Neal Agarwal, a programmer who has created other online apps on Neal, created the app. Games like “Days Since Incident,” “Life Stats,” and “Spend Bill Gates’ Money” are entertaining.
Although this may pique your interest or make you nervous, there is no immediate danger of an asteroid colliding with Earth. Despite the fact that there are thousands of potentially hazardous asteroids, none are expected to threaten our planet in the near future. And, just in case, NASA has a plan in place after successfully crashing a spacecraft into an asteroid in September to change its course.
Asteroid Launcher: How to Use It
Asteroid Launcher can be accessed via the website, your phone, or your desktop.
First, you’ll select the type of asteroid that will strike Earth, from stone, iron, carbon, gold, or comet.
You then choose the size of the asteroid, which can range from 3 feet to a mile in diameter. Users can also adjust the impact speed from 1,000 to 250,000 miles per hour. The final setting to tweak is the asteroid’s impact angle, which can range from 5 to 90 degrees.
After selecting the asteroid, you choose where you want the impact to occur on a global map. You can zoom in and out of the map to choose your home, business, or any other location to be the centre of the impact zone.
When you’re finished, click “Launch asteroid,” and you’ll see an animation of the impact. It will then provide statistics such as the size of the crater and the estimated number of deaths caused by the impact and subsequent fireball, shock wave, winds, or earthquake. You could also see how many buildings or trees were destroyed, as well as whether any people were injured, such as hearing loss.
Example of an Asteroid Launcher
There was a minor scare in 2021 when it was feared that the mega asteroid Aphosis would strike Earth, only to discover that we are safe from the space rock for at least the next 100 years.
But, as an example, consider the estimated 1,100-foot asteroid. The asteroid would create a 4.3-mile crater if it hit Times Square in New York City at 68,000 miles per hour with a 45-degree impact angle. In addition to the estimated 503,000 people killed by the impact, a nearly 7-mile-wide fireball would kill over 7.5 million more.
Buildings within 47 miles would collapse, trees within 67 miles would be felled, and a 6.9 magnitude earthquake felt 119 miles away would be felt.
