asteroid
Latest about asteroid
![An asteroid flying past earth](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xZQvdFzSema7hvkvh54BLh-320-80.jpg)
A skyscraper-size asteroid flew closer to Earth than the moon — and scientists didn't notice until 2 days later
By Brandon Specktor published
A stealthy asteroid the size of a 20-story building hid in the sun's glare before zooming uncomfortably close to Earth on July 13. Scientists didn't notice until July 15.
![An illustration shows the infant solar system shielded from a supernova blast by a filament of a molecular cloud.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hd368jDrhF39JUDYJXMxgg-320-80.jpg)
A nearby supernova nearly blew our solar system to bits 4 billion years ago, new research suggests
By Robert Lea published
A supernova that erupted when a massive star died could have destroyed our infant solar system — if it weren't protected by a cocoon of molecular gas.
![A microscopic metal ball glitters with various elements](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Jyq5QULaJKuV38dqAp9e29-320-80.jpg)
'Anomalous' metal spheres unlikely to be alien technology, despite Harvard scientist's claim
By Joanna Thompson published
A prominent extraterrestrial-hunting scientist thinks that more than 50 tiny, metal spheres pulled from the Pacific Ocean might be the work of intelligent aliens. Others are skeptical.
![An asteroid flying past earth](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xZQvdFzSema7hvkvh54BLh-320-80.jpg)
How to watch a 'potentially hazardous' asteroid the size of Earth's tallest building zoom past the planet Sunday
By Brandon Specktor published
A large, skyscraper-size asteroid will pass close to Earth Sunday night (June 11), missing our planet by a few million miles.
![A burning meteor flying past Earth](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/E9zQaV7TY7bfD9U9nJ2yMK-320-80.jpg)
The Tunguska event was the biggest asteroid impact in recorded history. How did it vanish without a trace?
By Hannah Osborne published
During the Tunguska event, over 8 million trees covering an area of 830 square miles were flattened when an asteroid entered Earth's atmosphere.
![3D rendering of the asteroid passing near the Earth.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SsAkebeMQNBokQSywXJAiS-320-80.jpg)
'Planet killer' asteroids pose no threat to Earth for at least 1,000 years — but smaller rocks could still be a problem
By Stephanie Pappas published
The risk of a kilometer-scale asteroid hitting Earth in the next millennium is really low. Phew.
![Close up showing the extinct thunder beast Megacerops coloradensis on a black background](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/z3HS9rV8ZYBGuAchMCy8NT-320-80.jpg)
Rhino-like 'thunder beasts' grew massive in the evolutionary blink of an eye after dinos died off
By Cameron Duke published
Ancient mammals known as 'thunder beasts' grew 1,000 times bigger just 16 million years after the dino-killing asteroid struck.
![A dinosaur next to an ocean as the asteroid hits Earth.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Sx646M4fuiHNuPcqovm7wT-320-80.jpg)
Dinosaur-killing asteroid did not trigger a long 'nuclear winter' after all
By Joanna Thompson published
Global temperatures did not plummet in the aftermath of the asteroid impact that caused the demise of the dinosaurs, a new study suggests.
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