An object hit the earth

The object had ten kilometers in diameter and scientists have not yet determined exactly whether it was a meteorite or comet, but agree that their average speed was 25 to 30 kilometers per second and left a footprint impact (crater) of approximately 200 kilometers in diameter. 

After impact the earth was plunged into total chaos. Caused large fires occurred due to a temperature of up to 20 thousand degrees Celsius were recorded throughout the Americas, there were earthquakes whose intensities ranged from 14 to 16 degrees Richter and other disturbances that resulted in numerous seismic and volcanic eruptions. In addition, heavy rains were present acidic and formed huge waves, which now are known as tsunami (Japanese word derived from), traveling horizontally at speeds of up to 750 mph and reach between 15 30 meters in height. In the case of the Chicxulub impact has been estimated that the tsunami could have reached heights of 100 to 200 meters, says the geologist José Manuel Gradates Nishimura, investigator assigned to the Program of naturally fractured reservoirs, the Mexican Petroleum Institute (IMP).

A collision with an asteroid 2012 DA14 threat to Earth on February 15, 2013

According to this calculations, the orbit of the asteroid with a diameter of between 40 and 95 meters, cross the Earth orbit. Astronomers have calculated that the February 15, 2013, the asteroid will pass only 26 900 kilometers of our planet, which is lower than the orbits of geostationary satellites (about 35,000 kilometers). A recharcher said that 2012 DA14 "belongs" to the regular type asteroids approaching Earth from behind, then or later, in front of him. 

"These are objects that move from time to time near the Earth in fact, they do not go around the earth, but in a coordinate system with two centers (with the Sun and Earth) will be like to turn around Earth, "he quoted. Now it is impossible to predict what will happen in the encounter with Earth in 2012 DA14. "We have to see it, can be farther from the Earth, then closer, even enough to fall to the ground, with some probability that impact the Earth. 

The threat of solar storms of a thousand years

On 13 and 14 March 1989, not long ago, the Earth experienced the largest geomagnetic storm that has been beaten in decades. The ionized particles from the sun caused a blackout in Quebec (Canada), leaving 5 million people without electricity for nine hours in winter and causing damage worth millions and millions of dollars. They also destroyed a costly transformer in the U.S. repair and sent two teams similar in the UK. During the "temporary" space agency lost track of some of its 1,600 probes and satellites.