To Put Last Night's Debate Fiasco In Perspective, Consider Our Asteroid Problem

A big rock from outer space could kill you pretty much any time. Have a nice day!

Ever wonder where these giant reptiles went? An asteroid got ‘em 65 million years ago. Will homo sapiens be next? Illustration by By Marcin Chady.

Resolved: That this House has nothing to live for after Thursday night’s presidential debate. Arguing in favor of the motion is every person with a trace of common sense residing inside the continental United States. Arguing for the opposition is … any volunteers?

To cheer you up, I’ve posted on The New Republic’s website a piece about the danger that an asteroid will strike Planet Earth, devastating either a city or the entire planet. Scientists actually call these babies “planet killers” and “city killers”! As I note in the piece, an absence of bureaucratic-sounding technical jargon is one surefire way to tell that this branch of applied science is much, much newer than it ought to be. An asteroid strike is a legitimate risk! My friend and New Republic colleague Walter Shapiro, on seeing this piece Friday morning, commented: “Bring it on.” You can read it here.