Guardians of the Apocalypse
Every once in a while, a story of impending apocalypse captures the public’s imagination - whether it’s the threat of a devastating volcanic eruption or a collision with a massive asteroid. While the chances of a catastrophic event are low, the chance exists. And as long as the probability is north of zero, there will be people working to monitor, prepare, and even prevent the worst case scenario. In Guardians of the Apocalypse, we meet the people standing between us and our greatest fears.
NASA’s plan to stop an asteroid headed for Earth
In 2013, a small meteor exploded above Chelyabinsk, Russia that sent over 1,200 people to the hospital. Now, NASA has plans to detect Earth-bound asteroids and defend the planet from another large-scale catastrophe.
All Episodes (4)
Reflecting the sun’s rays is a proposed last-ditch effort to mitigate the effects of global warming. This Harvard research team is trying to better understand the potential risks in order to save the planet.
In 2010, an earthquake killed 222,570 people in Haiti, injuring 300,000 and displacing over a million. In an attempt to discover how to predict earthquakes, these researchers are using machine learning to analyze the acoustic data from tectonic plates.
In 2013, a small meteor exploded above Chelyabinsk, Russia that sent over 1,200 people to the hospital. Now, NASA has plans to detect Earth-bound asteroids and defend the planet from another large-scale catastrophe.
The eruption of Mount Tambora pushed humanity to the brink of extinction. Today, active supervolcanoes still have the power to nullify our future. What can we do to prepare?
