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Re: (meteorobs) Letter to the AMS
OK, how about this: (I'm fudging the numbers a bit to make it easy to
understand)
Dear Gena,
The last big meteor to hit the earth and kills lots of animals was 60
million years ago. So, our chances of getting hit by another meteor that big
are about 60 million to one per year. That's about as likely as the chance
that an ostrich will try to fly, get partway into the air, fall down on your
head, and kill you. Or that a big tree will fall over, hitting a branch that
will kick a kid's tricycle into the air, falling on your head and killing
you. Or that one day you'll be walking down the street and somebody in the
house you're walking past will leave the gas on, light a match just as you
walk by, blow up the house, and the toilet from the house will fall on your
head, killing you. So, Gena, you've got two choices: 1) spend the rest of
your life avoiding places where ostriches live, staying far away from trees,
never walking down the street past houses, and worrying about meteors, or 2)
don't worry about these silly little things!
If you want to worry about things falling from the sky, wear a hat when
those little birds fly directly over your head!
on 8/25/02 7:19 PM, Robert Lunsford at lunro.imo.usa@coxdot net wrote:
> Below is a letter I received today via the AMS web site. As I read it I
> wondered just how many other kids share this fear. I tried to assure
> Gina that she had nothing to worry about now or in 2012. With so many
> pressures upon kids these days, it's a shame they also have to worry
> about the end of the world from an asteroid collision. In my day it was
> intercontinental ballistic missiles from the Soviet Union. I guess it's
> a never-ending cycle!
>
> If you would wish to respond to Gina I would be happy to forward your
> notes to her.
>
> Best Wishes,
>
> Robert Lunsford
>
>
>> Dear Mr.Lunsford,
>
>> I have heard some very scary things about meteors. I heard a program
>> on the radio talking about them and it scared me half to death. They
>> were talking about a meteor that is going to hit Earth in 2012. They
>> said it will kill most of us. Can u please tell me if there are any
>> metoers out there that u think might hit us. Do I have anything to be
>> afraid of ?
>
>> Thank You,
>
>> Gena Bell
>
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