Earth is NOT ready for an asteroid impact, expert warns

In the hope of preventing a catastrophic asteroid from colliding with Earth, a respected astrophysicist has advised that governments should be spending'hundreds of millions' each year on defence systems. Speaking at a press conference this week, Lord Martin Rees, UK Astronomer Royal, said that humans are'vulnerable to impacts from outside.' He suggested that a two-pronged approach would be needed to ensure Earth could survive an asteroid collision – a better detection system, and a deflection system. Experts have warned that humans are not prepared for an asteroid impact, and should one head for Earth, there's not much we can do about it (stock image) Nasa is planning an ambitious mission that will see a robotic spaceship visit an asteroid to create an orbiting base for astronauts. The robot shipwill pluck a large boulder off the space rock and sling it aroundthe moon, becoming a destination to prepare for futurehuman missions to Mars.