Congress has tasked NASA with detecting more near-Earth objects (NEOs) -- asteroids and comets that orbit the sun and could pose a potential hazard to Earth because they approach or cross the planet's orbit.
Defending Planet Earth: Near-Earth Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies, a new report from the National Research Council, lays out options NASA could follow to detect more NEOs. The report also examines what is known about various methods to prevent NEOs from striking Earth or to lessen their damage. The report will be released at 11 a.m. EST on Friday, Jan. 22.
Source: National Academy of Sciences