Armageddon- The World Could End in 2031, Gigantic Comet Hurtling Towards Earth

Do you remember the Bruce Willis Film “Armageddon”? The film detailed how a gigantic comet was about to crash onto Earth ending all human life! Something similar could happen in 2031 when the giant Bernardinelli-Bernstein, the solar system’s largest comet, passes close to Earth.  The Bernardinelli-Bernstein comet was discovered in 2014 and is hurtling towards the Earth with a speed of 35,000 km/h towards the Sun. The present location of the comet is in the OORT cloud, the birth place of all meteors just beyond the outer limits of the solar system.

Astronomers and scientists at the NASA fear that if the comet deviates from its path even by a whisker it will collide with Earth and end all life forms on Earth. Three important factors will determine the extent of damage caused if a Comet strikes the earth. The size of the comet, its speed and its composition.

The Comet Could End All Life On Earth

The bigger the comet, the more devastation it will cause. It is interesting to note that the extinction of Dinosaurs was believed to have been caused by an asteroid the size of just 15 miles hitting the Earth near Mexico. The core of the Bernardinelli-Bernstein comet is believed to be 120 kilometers wide. Therefore a comet this size hitting the Earth could mean the end of every life form.

The speed of the Comet will also have a bearing on the scale of destruction it will cause if it strikes the Earth. The faster the speed more will be its kinetic energy and greater will be the damage.  Composition of the Comet is also important. If the comet is mostly made of ice it will cause less damage than a rocky one.