Could Earth be impacted in any way??? I'm hoping not, but it is worth asking the question.

[Possible, but unlikely. Any deflected debris from the surface would likely be incredibly negligible on Earth, saving potentialy altering the trajectory of some other larger asteroid which could cause damage to the Earth through the altered trajectory. -Rick]

BTW, the main article says 1 in 75 but under the picture the caption says 1 in 25. Which is correct?

[The original article was NASA's best estimate based on previous data. As the body gets closer to Mars the data is refined. Currently the chances are 1 in 28. The chances just a week or so ago were estimated at 1 in 75. -Rick]

That would be a great opportunity for the Mars rovers to record the event. It would probably get pretty dusty after things settle though. I'm hoping this asteroid hits!

I wonder, when it whizzes by Mars, it's gravitational pull will send the asteroid towards inner Solar System (and Earth), or outwards? Here comes singularity, just not the one smart folks where expecting :)

I am very scary that other asteroid maybe going hit our home planet end of this year or in 2023. I hope scientist must make biggest laser weapon to blast asteroid away before going crash into Earth in near future. We need to protect all animals, people, things, etc on Earth are very value to us.

If scientist fail, and we will die, and can't get live back to life on planet. We will be spirits float in anywhere place. I will worry and start cry that asteroid can come very closer to Earth. God bless us and our home planet. :-(

I guess it's a good thing we don't have a base there yet. :D

Guest 1986. You are the first ever to make me respond to these comments.... And my response...

Think!

If scientists fail ...which they most likely would given they still cant get sharks with friggin laser beans attached to their heads... then you would be dead.. so no need to worry any more. So what is really scary.. finding out once you are dead that there is no god? or that your reborn as a hamster in a science laboratory with a laser attached to your friggin head?

It would be quite a spectacle to see an asteroid hit mars... hope we get some good pics of it.

all the comments relating to an asteroid hitting earth... an asteroid 160ft wide hitting mars would just make a dent several kilometers wide at most. something 160ft wide hitting earth would be the same as hiroshima, it wouldnt wipe the whole planet.

regardless of all of that. the governments electromagnetic, scalar technology would pretty much protect us from any asteroid, no matter how big.

stop worrying bout that junk. we as public employ the government to protect us from things like this, and believe me... they can. its 2008, not 1908. if you use the current technology available to the public as a benchmark for 2008 technological advancement, then the government has technology equivalent to the year 2500AD (minimum). Since end of WW2 governments supression and secretization of technology has given them a technological increase(when relating to our benchmark of the public arena) of advancing by 42years each year since 1940. They have technology that makes string theory and unified field theory look like the abacus.

bottom line... dont sweat an asteroid hitting earth. just sit back and hope NASA gives us some sweet high res photos of the mars impact.

Peace.

hey Guest 1986 ever seen the movie armaggedon lol :)the one with the big rock about to destroy the earth and they go drill a 800 ft hole and nuke it from the inside lol

And animals will feel happy without that destructive race known as "humans".

The smartest and brightest people in the world cant even fully understand or get to the bottom of string theory, what makes you think the govt has technology that makes string theory look like the abacus

The animals would probably bite it as well if the thing were big enough to wipeout all humans.

This could be a great chance to see what kind of damage this could have on a planet(similar to earth) with a surface impact. I just hope they record it from different angles and put it on HD-DVD. The surrund sound alone would be awesome.

Sure, if you believe the Government doesnt lie.