Scientists from China have presented a method to shatter dangerous asteroids with a nuclear explosion, while another team recorded a light particle of incredible energy that traveled for 30,000 years.
Chinese scientists have recently announced two significant discoveries that push the boundaries of our understanding of the universe and planetary defense. A team from the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) has proposed a new method for destroying asteroids that threaten Earth, while another group of researchers has detected the most energetic light particle ever recorded, originating from a distant corner of our galaxy.
Researchers at CALT have devised a two-step strategy to deal with large asteroids. According to a paper published in the journal Space: Science & Technology, the first step involves launching a high-speed metal projectile that would create a deep crater on the asteroid's surface. In the second step, a spacecraft would lower a nuclear device into that crater and trigger a controlled underground explosion.
The scientists believe that placing the explosive charge below the surface significantly increases efficiency compared to a surface explosion. Computer simulations have shown that a nuclear explosion with a yield of 3 megatons, roughly equivalent to the power of 200 bombs dropped on Hiroshima, could completely shatter an asteroid about 100 meters in diameter. The research also revealed that placing the charge at a depth of approximately 30 meters below the asteroid's surface can more than triple the change in its trajectory compared to a shallow explosion.
This approach offers a more powerful alternative to traditional asteroid deflection methods, which typically focus on gently altering the trajectory rather than destruction. An example of such technology is NASA's DART mission, which successfully tested the ability to change the orbit of a small asteroid moon by impacting it with a spacecraft. However, as reported by Azernews citing the study's authors, the use of nuclear weapons in space would be a last resort. The primary goal of planetary defense programs remains the early detection of potentially hazardous objects and their safe deflection before they become a serious threat.
In a completely separate discovery, a team led by Chinese scientists has detected the most energetic light particle ever recorded. This finding, reported by the South China Morning Post, demonstrates that space can accelerate matter to 30 times the previously predicted limit.
The particle was born in a violent binary system known as Cygnus X-3, located in the constellation Cygnus. Its creation process involves a dead star stripping material from a massive companion and ejecting powerful jets into space. After a journey of nearly 30,000 years, the particle arrived at Earth in March 2024, where it was recorded by a Chinese observatory.
With thousands of near-Earth asteroids being tracked by space agencies worldwide, the development of reliable defense strategies remains an important challenge for modern astronomy and space exploration.
