What would we do if there was a real AZ5 Coming to us?

[ThatKerbal]

What would we do?

I'm not much of a scientist. So...Yeah what would we do? Go on an "Evacuate Earth" Kind of thing? Or just wait for our impending doom?

Edited January 12, 2014 by ThatKerbal

[sal_vager]

We'd die trying.

But seriously, what could be more galvanizing to us as a species than the struggle for our own survival?

[Nibb31]

It depends how much warning we have. A larger impact could create a heatwave that would incinerate pretty much everything on the surface. The smoke and fallout would create a nuclear winter that would last for several years. If we get through that, we'll be fine.

If we have a decade or two, we could probably dig ourselves in and brace for the impact. Bury as much as we can as deep as we can: nuclear plants, shelters, food supplies, biological specimens, communication and coordination centers, art and cultural stuff, and as much equipment as possible to get started when it's over. We might also be able to put some stuff underwater.

Moving to space would be pretty much the hardest thing to do. With current technology, the best we could do is send up a few hundred people and bring them back after the impact. We don't have technology to survive in space indefinitely yet. We'd have better chances or survival by building thousands of deep vaults all around the world. At least some of them would be able to survive the impact.

If we only have a few months, we're probably toast.

Edited January 12, 2014 by Nibb31

[MBobrik]

a 300 meter rock ? ignore/deny until a few days before impact. Some would welcome the apocalypse, some would be glad that the pink vermin finally gets what it deserved, and all in the areas where it were to hit would start panicking a few days/hours before impact negating any meaningful attempt at damage mitigation.

[crazyewok]

If we had warning built a orion and go out a destroy/divert it.

Who ares about a fallout anymore.

[TheDarkStar]

If we had warning built a orion and go out a destroy/divert it.

Who ares about a fallout anymore.

When used right, fallout isn't even an issue with it.

I'm guessing that people would either put aside differences and stop it/make vaults or refuse to agree to each other's plans, go to war about it, realize they waited to long and are all going to die, then blow each other to bits anyway.

[Comrade Jenkens]

If there was a large rock approaching.... I'd start digging!

I think that underground shelters would be the best way to survive as they are easy to quickly create and provide a lot of protection.

[magnemoe]

If we had warning built a orion and go out a destroy/divert it.

Who ares about a fallout anymore.

My favorite idea is to simply use the orion driver charges to redirect the asteroid, yes you would want to heat the entire surface in the direction you pushes.

Main benefit is that you don't have to match speed with target and that each intercept is independent so you deal with an 50% fail rate by doubling the number of launches.