Two incidents of falling space junk have been recorded in the last two months – one on a farm in the New South Wales Snowy Mountains and another just metres from villages in South East Asia.
While chances you’ll be hit by falling space junk were thought to be astronomically low – new estimates say the risks are much higher and they’re only getting worse.
Read more: There’s a 1 in 10 chance someone will be hit by space junk this decade.
On this episode of The Science Briefing, Dr Sophie Calabretto talks to Cosmos Magazine journalist Matthew Agius about the odds you, or someone you know, will be hit by falling space junk and who is responsible for the damage caused.
The Science Briefing is a LiSTNR production
Listen to more episodes of The Science Briefing
Originally published by Cosmos as What are the odds you’ll be hit by falling space junk?
Cosmos
Cosmos is a quarterly science magazine. We aim to inspire curiosity in ‘The Science of Everything’ and make the world of science accessible to everyone.
Read science facts, not fiction...
There’s never been a more important time to explain the facts, cherish evidence-based knowledge and to showcase the latest scientific, technological and engineering breakthroughs. Cosmos is published by The Royal Institution of Australia, a charity dedicated to connecting people with the world of science. Financial contributions, however big or small, help us provide access to trusted science information at a time when the world needs it most. Please support us by making a donation or purchasing a subscription today.
