It's not about technology: Scientists say Earth already has a means to protect itself from killer asteroids

Scientists at Lulea University of Technology in Sweden have discovered that the Earth's gravity may protect the planet from killer asteroids by breaking them into smaller pieces. However, this destruction can also lead to the formation of new threats.

The researchers modeled a scenario in which an asteroid flying toward the Earth is affected by its gravitational field. The tidal forces that cause tides in the Earth's oceans could be strong enough to tear the asteroid apart, Independent.co.uk reports.

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The study showed that such devastating collisions can cause an asteroid to lose 50 to 90 percent of its mass. These smaller fragments, formed by gravitational attraction, can explain the large number of small asteroids orbiting the Sun in almost the same plane as the orbits of the Earth and Venus.

However, scientists also note that this destruction could lead to the formation of new threats. Fragments formed as a result of tidal breakup will remain in orbits approaching the planet for some time after tidal breakup. Therefore, some fragments may undergo further tidal breakup during subsequent close encounters with the planet, thus increasing the number of fragments produced.

Scientists note that these smaller fragments of space rocks do not pose an extinction-level threat, but they can still cause significant damage.

This study shows that the Earth's gravity is a powerful factor that can both protect and threaten the planet.

Earlier, scientists proved that the Earth's satellite, the Moon, has a solid metal core.

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