How to save the Earth from an imminent collision with an asteroid

Scientists at the University of California, Santa Barbara, have revealed the ways humanity can escape an imminently approaching asteroid or comet.

The preprint of the scientific paper has been published in the Arxiv.org repository. Its authors believe that humanity has already crossed the threshold of development necessary to avoid the fate of the dinosaurs. It is argued that humans have only half a year to overcome the collision threat.

Scientists have reported that there are several ways to deflect an asteroid flying towards Earth. The most effective is to use small atomic bombs mounted in penetrating impact devices. These would have to split the whole asteroid apart. The explosions won't destroy it completely, but they will change its speed and direction. It would be possible to divert it from its collision course. To change the speed of a body ten kilometres in diameter and with a density of 2.6 grams per cubic centimetre by one metre per second, a power of five megatons would be required.