Galaxy

14 Jun 2015

Brian May plans to help save world from looming asteroid attack


Queen rocker Brian May is helping scientists raise £160million to build an orbiting space observatory to save the world from asteroid attack.
The boffins have named June 30 as ‘Asteroid Day’ to help raise the cash to build and launch Sentinel.
Supporters other than guitarist May include Martin Rees, the astronomer royal; biologist Richard Dawkins; Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart; Nobel laureate Sir Harold Kroto; British astronaut Helen Sharman; and cosmonaut Alexey Leonov.
Their aim is to highlight the dangers facing Earth and track deadly asteroids that may be lurking in near-Earth space.
They claim a small asteroid, perhaps only a few hundred yards across, hitting Earth would devastate a continent or trigger tsunamis.
June marks the anniversary of the “Tunguska event”, when a small asteroid or comet exploded above Siberia with the force of 1,000 atomic bombs in 1908 - the largest impact event on Earth in recorded history.
“Asteroid impacts are one of the few threats we can quantify,” Lord Rees said.
“Every 10 million years or so, a body a few kilometres across will hit the Earth, causing global catastrophe – there are a few chances in a million that this is how we will die.
“However, there are larger numbers of smaller asteroids that could cause regional or local devastation.
"A body that is, say, 300 metres across, if it fell into the Atlantic, would produce huge tsunamis that would devastate much of Europe as well as the east coast of the US."
The Sentinel telescope would be launched on a Falcon 9 Space X rocket and would hover in space relatively close to the sun, looking back out into space and surveying asteroids and meteorites that approach the Earth.
"Sentinel would be fitted with an infra-red telescope as steroids are generally charcoal black and difficult to spot in space,” added Murphy.
“However, an infra-red telescope would allow it to detect asteroids from their heat.”
Lord Rees added: “The cost of an impact would be colossal, which means – if you calculate an insurance premium in the usual way by multiplying probability by consequences, it turns out to be worth spending $1billion a year to reduce asteroid risk.”

Kim Kardashian reveals she won't be naming her second baby South West


The pregnant reality star called the baby name rumours totally "ridiculous".
Speaking to the NPR show Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me, she said: "I don't like South West though, because North will always be better, and she has a better direction,” she told the hosts. “I wouldn’t do that [set them up in conflict with each other]. I don’t think we’ll go with another direction."
Kim was also asked if friends and family members had suggested names.
“You’ll be surprised at all the names people do send us,” she replied.

“I mean, everyone keeps saying South, and I think that’s so stupid. It’s the stupidest thing ever,and just ridiculous.”

It comes after she took to Twitter to clear up a number of rumours that had been doing the rounds.
She wrote: "So many rumors...we are not having twins, yes I am carrying my own baby lol & we have not told anyone the sex of our baby yet! (sic)"
Kim also urged her fans to only believe what she announces herself, implying they will hear it directly from her when there is more news.
She added: "Nothing is confirmed unless you hear it from me!"

Rihanna and Karim Benzema spotted on dinner date


Rihanna has fuelled more romance rumours after being snapped on a dinner date with her rumoured new man Karim Benzema this weekend.
The singer and her Real Madrid star beau were pictured in a car together on Saturday night as they arrived at Giorgio Baldi restaurant in Santa Monica.

While RiRi wore bright red lippy to match her flame-coloured hair, and an all-black outfit, she stood out in the backseat but failed to smile.
Meanwhile the footballer wore a denim jacket and white t-shirt as he appeared to chat to her while making their way past photographers.

While the pair are yet to confirm romance rumors, it's the second time they have been snapped together in so many days.
The star enjoyed a night at 1OAK nightclub in West Hollywood on Thursday night with footy ace Karim also in attendance.
RiRi was later pictured leaving the club through a back exit and jumping into a car with her entourage.
Meanwhile, striker Karim left through a crowded front exit.
According to Us Weekly magazine, the pair are enjoying each other's company but are not official just yet.
A source said: "She's not officially dating him."
Tongues first started wagging the pair could be more than just friends when they were spotted dining together at 24-hour restaurant Coppelia in New York last week.
We have contacted the star's reps for comment.

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