A shocking video shows what could happen if Earth collided with an object from outer space.
But the object is not quite what you might think. It is not a kilometre-wide asteroid, nor is it a comet or meteorite.
No, this is a very humble needle, like the one you might use to sew on a button. Well, it might seem funny at first, but what if I told you that in this theoretical scenario the needle was moving at the speed of light?
Now things are getting a little more serious.
Surely the Earth would still be fine? It might do something, but surely something as small as a tiny needle wouldn’t do that much damage?
Well, there are two ways this could happen, and let’s just say that one option is definitely better than the other. A video from Riddle on YouTube takes a look at the options.
In the tradition of good news and bad news, let’s start with the worst case scenario if the needle hits the ground that quickly.
In a worst-case scenario, the energy dissipated by the needle would cause an apocalyptic event on Earth. It would create a huge hole in the Earth’s crust causing a massive outpouring of the Earth’s mantle into space.
This means that life as we know it has become extinct due to the enormous heat emitted by the collision.
But wait, it gets worse.
It is also possible that the energy released by the impact is so great that the Earth literally disintegrates under the sheer force of the energy. Yes that’s right, the entire Earth was wiped out of existence by a needle.
Or didn’t blink, because it would be faster than that.
This is the worst case scenario. At least it would happen so quickly that no one would know about it.
But what about a good option?
Well, in this case – because the needle is sharp and moving very quickly – there is a possibility that the energy will not be released in time to actually make a significant impact on the Earth.
In this scenario, the needle would simply enter the ground and then come out the other side. Not only that, but it will happen so quickly that no one will notice.
Unless you stand where you left, in which case, bad luck.
This is of course a completely theoretical scenario, but it illustrates the enormous amount of energy possessed by something moving at the speed of light – even if it is a relatively small object like a needle.
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