Today on New Scientist: 19 February 2013







Doctors would tax sugary drinks to combat obesity

Hiking the price of fizzy drinks would cut consumption and so help fight obesity, urges the British Academy of Medical Royal Colleges



Space station's dark matter hunter coy about findings

Researchers on the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, which sits above the International Space Station, have collected their first results - but won't reveal them for two weeks



Huge telescopes could spy alien oxygen

Hunting for oxygen in the atmospheres of distant exoplanets is a tough job, but a new wave of giant telescopes should be up to the task



Evolution's detectives: Closing in on missing links

Technology is taking the guesswork out of finding evolution's turning points, from the first fish with legs to our own recent forebears, says Jeff Hecht



Moody Mercury shows its hidden colours

False-colour pictures let us see the chemical and physical landscape of the normally beige planet closest to the sun



LHC shuts down to prepare for peak energy in 2015

Over the next two years, engineers will be giving the Large Hadron Collider the makeover it needs to reach its maximum design energy



Insert real news events into your mobile game

From meteor airbursts to footballing fracas, mobile games could soon be brimming with news events that lend them more currency



3D-printing pen turns doodles into sculptures

The 3Doodle, which launched on Kickstarter today, lets users draw 3D structures in the air which solidify almost instantly



We need to rethink how we name exoplanets

Fed up with dull names for exoplanets, Alan Stern and his company Uwingu have asked the public for help. Will it be so long 2M 0746+20b, hello Obama?



A shocking cure: Plug in for the ultimate recharge

An electrical cure for ageing attracted the ire of the medical establishment. But could the jazz-age inventor have stumbled upon a genuine therapy?



Biofuel rush is wiping out unique American grasslands

Planting more crops to meet the biofuel demand is destroying grasslands and pastures in the central US, threatening wildlife




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India's workers strike to protest "anti-labour" policies






NEW DELHI: Millions of India's workers walked off their jobs on Wednesday in a two-day nationwide strike called by trade unions to protest at the "anti-labour" policies of the embattled government.

Financial services and transport were hit by the strike called by 11 major workers' groups to protest at a series of pro-market economic reforms announced by the government last year, as well as high inflation and rising fuel prices.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had appealed to unions to abandon the strike, the latest in a string of protests against liberalisation, warning it would cause a "loss to our economy" already poised for its slowest annual growth in a decade.

But talks following Singh's appeal this week collapsed after the government refused to bow to union demands to roll back the reforms, which are aimed at jumpstarting the economy and averting a downgrade in India's credit rating.

"The workers are being totally ignored and this is reflected in the government's anti-labour policies," said Tapan Sen, general secretary of the umbrella Centre of Indian Trade Unions.

The government's "big ticket" reforms include opening the retail, insurance and aviation sectors to wider foreign investment, raising prices of subsidised diesel used by farmers and reducing the number of discounted cooking gas cylinders.

The steps aim to free up the still heavily state-controlled economy and reduce India's ballooning subsidy bill and fiscal deficit. But they have stirred anger in some areas, especially among the poor.

"The last time that we called a strike (in February 2012), nearly 100 million workers participated. This time we're expecting a bigger number," Sen told AFP.

The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry estimated losses from the strike at around 200 billion rupees (US$3.7 billion).

"The national economy... can ill afford this situation. In fact, the strike would aggravate the price situation because of disruption in supply line of essential commodities," the chamber said in a statement.

The strike's impact appeared to be the greatest in the eastern state of West Bengal and the southern state of Kerala where banks, schools and the transport sector were hit.

Flag-waving protesters stopped trains and staged noisy demonstrations in the eastern states of Orissa and Bihar. A trade union leader was crushed by a bus that he was trying to stop in Ambala district in the northern state of Punjab.

In Mumbai, the financial sector was crippled with government banks, insurance companies and workers at other businesses taking part in the stoppage.

The strike comes a day before the start of parliament's budget session, which is likely to be disrupted by the opposition parties over allegations of kickbacks in a US$748 million government contract for Italian helicopters.

-AFP/fl



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Pistorius back in court; bail ruling expected


























Photos: 'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius


'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius


'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius


'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius


'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius


'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius


'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius


'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius


'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius


'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius


'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius


'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius


'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius


'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius


'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius


'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius


'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius


'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius


'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius





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STORY HIGHLIGHTS


  • NEW: Bail hearing resumes in South Africa

  • Prosecutors are asking that bail be denied

  • Oscar Pistorius paints a detailed picture of his version of his girlfriend's death

  • Prosecutors dispute Pistorius' version, say he meant to kill her




Pretoria, South Africa (CNN) -- Olympian Oscar Pistorius returned to court on Wednesday to find out if he can be freed on bail after being charged with premeditated murder in the shooting death of his girlfriend.


This is the second day of the bail hearing that is expected to last several more days.


The charge of premeditation makes it more difficult for Pistorius' attorneys to argue he should be released pending trial. To win bail, the defense must argue that "exceptional circumstances" exist that would justify Pistorius' release.


Prosecutors have said they would ask for bail to be denied in the Valentine's Day death of Reeva Steenkamp.


Tuesday's court session ended with no decision on bail for Pistorius, 26. Prosecutors said they needed time to study the affidavits read in court before deciding how to proceed.


In a statement read by his lawyer, Pistorius said he would not try to flee or influence any witnesses if he is allowed out on bail, and he argued his release wouldn't be a danger to public order.


During Tuesday's hearing, Magistrate Desmond Nair upgraded the charge against Pistorius to premeditated murder, saying he could not rule out the possibility that the track star planned Steenkamp's death. But Nair said he will consider downgrading the charge later.


Pistorius' affidavit in alleged murder of girlfriend


A tragic mistake?


While prosecutors and defense lawyers agree Pistorius shot Steenkamp, the track star denied intentionally killing her.


"I fail to understand how I could be charged with murder, let alone premeditated murder because I had no intention to kill my girlfriend," Pistorius said in his statement.


"We were deeply in love and couldn't be happier," he said. "I loved her and I know she felt the same way."









Pistorius' girlfriend dies on Valentine's Day










HIDE CAPTION















In his statement, Pistorius said Steenkamp came to his home February 13 for a quiet dinner. They wrapped up the night with a bit of television in bed for him, some yoga for her. She had brought him a Valentine's Day present to open the next day.


After the couple had gone to bed, he said he got up in the early hours of February 14 to close the balcony door in his bedroom when he heard a sound in the bathroom.


Pistorius said he'd been a victim of violence and burglary in the past, and realized with terror that contractors who worked at the house had left ladders outside.


Fearing someone had entered the home through the open bathroom window, Pistorius grabbed his 9mm pistol from under the bed, moved in the dark on the stumps of his amputated legs and yelled at what he thought was the intruder to get out.


"I fired shots at the toilet door and shouted to Reeva to phone the police. She did not respond and I moved backwards out of the bathroom, keeping my eye on the bathroom entrance," Pistorius said in his statement.


"Everything was pitch-dark in the bedroom and I was still too scared to switch on a light."


"When I reached the bed, I realized that Reeva was not in bed. That is when it dawned on me that it could have been Reeva who was in the toilet. I returned to the bathroom calling her name," he said.


He said he threw open the balcony door and screamed for help, put on his prosthetic legs and tried to kick in the door to the separate room inside the bathroom containing the toilet. Then, he said, he picked up a cricket bat, smashing panels out of the door before finding a key and unlocking it.


"Reeva was slumped over but alive," he said.


Pistorius said he called for help and was told to take her to the hospital himself.


He carried her downstairs and tried to help her, but she died.


A premeditated murder?


Prosecutors, however, painted a different picture.


They rejected Pistorius' claim that he mistook her for a burglar, saying it would make no sense for an intruder to hide behind a locked bathroom door.


Instead, they say Pistorius armed himself, attached his prosthetic legs and walked 7 meters (23 feet) to shoot Steenkamp through a bathroom door after a heated argument.


Defense attorney Barry Roux questioned the state's argument, asking how prosecutors would know Pistorius had put on his prosthetic legs and walked to the bathroom before shooting his girlfriend.


Police were alerted to the shooting by neighbors, and residents had "heard things earlier," police spokeswoman Denise Beukes said.


Authorities said there had been "previous incidents" at the home, including "allegations of a domestic nature," but did not provide details.


Detectives are investigating the blood-stained cricket bat found in the home, Johannesburg's City Press newspaper reported. They are trying to determine whether it was used to attack Steenkamp, if she used the bat in self-defense, or if Pistorius used it to try to break down the bathroom door, the newspaper said.


Case rivets fans


The case of the global sports hero known as the "Blade Runner" has riveted stunned fans around the world.


As he walked into court in a blue shirt, gray suit and tie, frenzied photographers snapped away, prompting the judge to demand they stop.


The scene was a far cry from the packed stadiums that erupted in applause whenever the double-amputee competed against men with legs.


Social media reaction to the case came down against the sports star, but was still noticeably mixed on CNN's Facebook page.


"There's no amount of tears that will save you," said Anthonia Nneka Nwabueze. "Pistorius must face the Law for brutally killing an innocent girl - Reeva."


"My favorite athlete but what he did is grave and must be punished," Carlos Alvarez Ochoa said.


But another person who posted called for patience.


"(N)one of us were in the house when his girlfriend was murdered, let's hold off on casting stones at Oscar Pistorius," said Adrian van Liere Since. "Just like anyone else, he deserves a just trial, and in my eyes remains innocent until proven guilty."


Robyn Curnow and Kim Norgaard reported from South Africa; Ed Payne reported and wrote from Atlanta. CNN's Nkepile Mabuse also contributed to this report.






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What's next in the looming budget crisis?

(CBS News) WASHINGTON -- We are nine days from the next national self-inflicted budget crisis: big, across-the-board cuts in the federal budget will hit automatically on March 1. The cuts are designed to be so deep and damaging that they would force the president and Congress to compromise on a better way.

"These cuts are not smart, they are not fair, they will hurt our economy, they will add hundreds of thousands of Americans to the unemployment rolls," President Barack Obama said Tuesday. "This is not an abstraction. People will lose their jobs. The unemployment rate might tick up again."

Watch: Obama warns of the dangers of the "sequester," below.

Obama wants more tax revenue, but Republicans say no. Both sides say it's up to the other to give in.

There will be a continued effort by the White House to apply public pressure on Republicans to relent. This will be done in public, in events such as Obama's speech Tuesday; it's already been done privately.

Top government officials are warning businesses they could be harmed by these looming spending cuts. For example, last Friday, top officials at the Agriculture Department warned meat and poultry producers that there might not be enough federal inspectors to keep their processing plants open and operating.

These are designed to motivate businesses to plead with Republicans to find another way. For now, Republicans appear prepared to take these spending cuts, because they say they will argue to the public they're more serious about deficit reduction than President Obama.

Obama to GOP: Put away the "meat cleaver"
GOP losing faith on sequester alternative?
With sequester looming, Congress takes a break

There are currently no behind-the-scenes negotiations between the White House and Republicans. Republicans say this is President Obama's problem and that he needs to solve it with new spending cuts, because they refuse to raise taxes again this year.

As for talks, the top aide to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor joked Tuesday that President Obama has spent more time playing golf with Tiger Woods than he has negotiating with congressional Republicans.

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Former Navy SEAL on Coming Out of Shadows












It used to be that Navy SEALs didn't just operate in the shadows. They trained in them too. Their whole story stayed shrouded in mystery. Their secret missions stayed secret to the rest of us.


But when they got Osama Bin Laden, snatched back an American cargo ship taken by pirates and rescued two air workers held hostage in Somalia, then suddenly, it seemed that SEALs were headline-makers.


Add to that some SEALs wrote books about SEAL adventures and even acted in a movie about the SEAL experience using live ammunition when they made "Act of Valor." They can't quite be called "the military unit that no one ever talked about" any longer.


Watch the full story on "Nightline" TONIGHT at 12:35 a.m. ET


Rorke Denver played Lt. Commander Rorke in "Act of Valor," a film that used dozens of SEALs and went on to gross $80 million at the box office. Now, with the help of a writer, Denver is doing some pretty decent storytelling in a new book, "Damn Few: Making the Modern SEAL Warrior."


He agrees that with SEALs like him telling their stories that these guys are out in the open like never before.


"We are, at this moment in our history, when the heat is on, the missions are getting press and coverage," Denver said.










Acts of Valor: Four Boyfriends Took Bullets to Save Girlfriends Watch Video









'Zero Dark Thirty' Screenwriter Responds to Film's Controversy Watch Video





When asked if it was a good thing, he said, "time will tell."


"We are in the public eye and I think that mythology is something that people are hugely, hugely interested in and they have an appetite for it," Denver said. "So for us with the movie and then also with 'Damn Few' I had an opportunity, I feel, to authentically represent and hopefully do it from an honorable point of view and accurately do so."


It's mostly his own story Denver tells in "Damn Few," how he joined the SEALs after college -- they didn't want him at first.


"I put in my first application and they said no, and I am glad it went that way. I think the community really values resiliency and toughness and focus and a 'never quit' attitude. For me, when they said no I thought, that ain't going to cut it."


Denver didn't quit. He reapplied and went on to survive the SEALs brutal Hell Week and training, joined the team and deployed all over the world, including the deadly Al Anbar province in Iraq when the war there was at its hottest. His family waited for him to return stateside.


"The families, I feel, are the ones who pay the price of our choices," Denver said. "But I didn't appreciate how much I was asking my family to bear and experience it with me. They really are every bit a part of our experience and frankly they are the ones who are back home and praying and believing that you are going to come home."


But even his family didn't quite know what Denver did at work every day.


"I never ask questions about what he does," said his wife, Tracy.



But "Act of Valor" was revealing in that way, and Denver's wife watched the film.


"For me it was incredibly eye-opening to actually see a submarine mission or running around in the jungle, jumping out of a plane, shooting his weapons," she said. "For me, it was like, oh, so this is what you are doing when you are away. I appreciated it actually."






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We need to rethink how we name exoplanets









































Fed up with dull names for exoplanets, Alan Stern and his company Uwingu have asked the public for help. Will it be so long 2M 0746+20b, hello Obama?












How did you come up with the idea for a list of potential names for exoplanets?
The number of planets in the Milky Way was recently estimated at more than 100 billion. We realised that that's far, far too many names for astronomers to supply, that it would take the general public too. We also realised how much fun this could be for people.












How do people submit names?
For $0.99, anyone can put in a name, as long as it isn't already nominated and isn't profane or pejorative. People can also vote on which names they like best. We only have a few hundred now, but the idea is that we will have hundreds of thousands of names in the database. We will take the thousand most popular, which will correspond to the thousand or so exoplanets that we already know about, and hand those to exoplanet scientists.












What kinds of names are people suggesting?
It is pretty interesting. People are putting in names of friends, spouses. They are putting in lots of science-fiction names like Alderaan and Yuggoth, names of authors such as Heinlein and Asimov, and even politicians like Obama and Romney. As this gets out to the general public, we expect there to be a lot of interesting contests going on - maybe Lady Gaga versus Madonna.












What's wrong with the existing names?
There are none - just "license plate" designations like 2M 0746+20b or OGLE235-MOA53b!












Isn't it a problem that your company, Uwingu, has no formal ties to the International Astronomical Union's naming committee?
I think most people get that this is for fun and engagement. It's not meant to be official. In a sense, it's a social experiment. Naming celestial objects is usually done by astronomers and professionals. Other people who are interested in space never get the opportunity to do that kind of thing. What if they did? What would the people of Earth choose? What would their imagination do that we wouldn't do, as astronomers?












What else is Uwingu trying to accomplish?
The mission of the company is two-fold. Priority one is to better connect the general public with space and the sky. Two is to operate a fund for space research, exploration and education.












What is the Uwingu fund?
It comes from revenues generated by people nominating and voting for their favourite exoplanet names, and it goes toward needy space projects, such as SETI's Allen Telescope Array.












Why should the public trust you with their money?
People in the research and education community recognise our names, so they will come to us in ways that they wouldn't otherwise. We are professional scientists and educators, and we will do the quality control. Our intent is to be worldwide, not only in our revenue, but in our expenditures. Uwingu is the only thing around like this; nobody else has thought of anything similar.












This article appeared in print under the headline "One minute with... Alan Stern"




















Profile







Alan Stern is the former head of science missions at NASA. He and a group of fellow scientists and educators launched Uwingu's hunt for names last year at uwingu.com











































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Local furniture makers urged to adopt green practices






SINGAPORE: More furniture manufacturers in Singapore will be encouraged to adopt green practices with the aim of being awarded green certifications.

This is part of a three-year plan by the Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC) and Singapore Environment Council (SEC) with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

To date, 11 SFIC members have been awarded green certificates by local and international bodies. The SFIC aims to double this number by 2014.

Under the MOU, SFIC and SEC will work together to improve furniture manufacturers' expertise in environmental sustainability.

This will be done through various programmes like training seminars and conferences.

There will be programmes to help companies undertake the SEC's Singapore Green Labelling Scheme (SGLS), a leading environmental standard and certification mark.

President of SFIC, Mr Ernie Koh, said, "Our Singapore furniture companies are already well-recognised in the global market for their high quality and professional business management. This MOU will further enhance our standing and raise our competitiveness and reputation in the eco-friendly furniture market."

- CNA/fa



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Pistorius in court as slain girlfriend is laid to rest




Oscar Pistorius is pictured with Reeva Steenkamp in Johannesburg, South Africa, in January.




STORY HIGHLIGHTS


  • Prosecutors have said they intend to upgrade the charge to premeditated murder

  • The funeral for his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, will take place Tuesday

  • Official: Steenkamp was shot four times through a bathroom door in Pistorius' home

  • Pistorius has rejected the murder allegation "in the strongest terms," his agent said




Pretoria, South Africa (CNN) -- With his hands clasped in front of him, Oscar Pistorius arrived in a South African court Tuesday to seek bail as authorities accuse him of murdering his girlfriend.


The global sports hero known as the "Blade Runner" walked in wearing a blue shirt and gray suit as frenzied photographers snapped away, prompting a magistrate to demand they stop.


South African prosecutors have said they intend to upgrade the charge to premeditated murder.


As they stated that Pistorius "shot and killed an innocent woman," Pistorius buried his head in his hands and sobbed loudly.


The last time the world saw images of Pistorius, the track star was sobbing during a court hearing Friday, crumbling as he heard that heavy, hideous word: murder.


It's a far cry from the packed stadiums that erupted in applause for the double-amputee who dared to compete against men with legs.










Police have released little about a possible motive in the Valentine's Day shooting of his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp. Early on, local media suggested Pistorius had mistaken Steenkamp for an intruder.


South African authorities have stressed that the scenario did not come from them, and said there was no evidence of forced entry at the home.


Items found in Pistorius' home suggest Steenkamp intended to stay the night. She had an overnight bag and her iPad.


Steenkamp was shot four times through a bathroom door in Pistorius' upscale Pretoria home, a South African official familiar with a case said Monday.


The 29-year-old model was alive after she was shot, and Pistorius carried her wounded body downstairs, said the official, who was not authorized to release details to the media.


Police were alerted to the shooting by neighbors, and residents had "heard things earlier," spokeswoman Denise Beukes said.


A police spokeswoman said there had been "previous incidents" at the home, including "allegations of a domestic nature." They did not detail what those may been.


Detectives are investigating a blood-stained cricket bat in the home, Johannesburg's City Press newspaper reported, and are trying to determine whether it was used to attack Steenkamp, if she used the bat in self-defense, or if Pistorius used it to try to break down the bathroom door.


Pistorius, 26, has rejected the murder allegation "in the strongest terms," his agent said in a statement.


Meanwhile, friends and family will mourn Steenkamp at a private funeral service in her hometown of Port Elizabeth.


On Sunday, South Africans heard Steenkamp's voice one last time after her death, when the national broadcaster aired a pre-recorded reality TV show featuring the model discussing her exit from "Tropika Island of Treasure," on which local celebrities compete for prize money.


"I'm going to miss you all so much and I love you very, very much," she said, blowing a kiss to the camera.


Robyn Curnow reported from South Africa; Holly Yan reported and wrote from Atlanta. CNN's Nkepile Mabuse also contributed to this report.






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WH: Leaked immigration plan is only partial draft

(CBS News) WASHINGTON -- Over the weekend, a partial White House plan for immigration reform leaked to the press and caused an uproar.

White House officials tell CBS News that what was leaked is real -- it's a partial draft of half a bill. What we know is the administration's current thinking about what to do about the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants living in the United States right now.

The administration wants a temporary four-year visa to provide legal status -- meaning no more deportations -- that could be renewed. After eight years, they can apply for what's known as permanent legal residency, or, more commonly, a Green Card.

(At left, watch White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough discuss the leaked immigration plan on "Face the Nation.")



There's also administration thinking on border security and an unspecified increase in border security, subject to negotiations with Congress. For workers who try to find jobs in the future and who might not have documents, the plan includes an E-Verify system to make sure undocumented workers aren't given jobs.


GOP: Leaked WH immigration plan "counterproductive"
W.H. immigration plan circulating in case Congress talks "break down," McDonough says

What's missing is a section dealing with all future legal immigration issues: high-skilled workers, seasonal farm workers and workers who work in hotels or restaurants. Without that, this plan doesn't have much of a chance.

The plan is not likely to get through Congress without the section dealing with legal immigration. That's why Republicans were so critical this weekend.

Last year, Republicans criticized the president for being missing in action and failing to draft a bill. Now that he admits he is, Republicans say he's contaminating that process; they argue that if you don't have a comprehensive bill -- one that can pass Republicans and Democrats in both the House and Senate -- this is a futile effort.

The White House says Republicans are going to be dared to vote up or down eventually, and that they better get used to that.

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Russian Meteor: Close Encounter, Preventing Impacts





Feb 18, 2013 7:03pm



MOSCOW — As if Friday’s massive meteor explosion over central Russia weren’t enough, just hours later a large asteroid buzzed dangerously close to Earth.


And that evening, the California sky was lit up by a fireball, apparently entering Earth’s atmosphere.


It’s a barrage from space that has people asking: Are we ready for the big one?


Nearly 100 tons of space debris enters Earth’s atmosphere every day. Most of it burns up or falls harmlessly into the ocean, but experts still worry that eventually something big will come our way.


PHOTOS: Meteorite Crashes in Russia


epa russia meteor Chebarkul lake jt 130217 wblog Russian Meteor: Close Encounters and Plans to Prevent Impacts

Image credit: Chelyabinsk Region Branch of Russian Interior Ministry/HO/EPA


The prospect of Earth getting hit by a giant hunk of space rock is concerning enough that the United Nations is gathering top minds in Italy this week to discuss it.


Scientists say the idea of blowing up an asteroid — as Bruce Willis’ character did in the movie “Armageddon” — is pure Hollywood fantasy. Even if we could hit it, it’s unlikely to stop it.


Existing sky-watching programs run by NASA and others can only spot the biggest asteroids, not the small ones that sneak up on us.


But fear not, citizens of Earth. Scientists have a plan.


RELATED: Russian Meteor: Rushing to Cash in on the Blast


One group, the non-profit B612 Foundation, proposes sending a telescope, called Sentinel, into space to detect incoming objects decades before their orbits intersect ours. Then, unmanned spacecraft could fly to them and nudge them clear of Earth’s path.


The group is trying to raise $200 million to make it happen and hopes to launch the telescope by 2016.


Another project, proposed by the University of Hawaii, aims to give earthlings a heads-up when necessary, starting by 2015.


RELATED: Meteor Events: Rare, but Dangerous


It is called the Atlas program, and the plan is to deploy a string of telescopes that would search for even smaller objects in the sky, hoping to be able to give people at least a few day’s notice that could allow time for an evacuation.


Until then, better keep Bruce Willis on speed dial.



SHOWS: World News






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