Coursera Spring Sale
40% Off Coursera Plus Annual!
Grab it
This talk explores how the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has detected 138 of the smallest asteroids ever observed in the asteroid belt, some as small as 10 meters in diameter. Learn about the potential threats these mini asteroids pose to Earth, as they can become near-Earth objects (NEOs) capable of causing significant damage through impacts or atmospheric explosions. Planetary astronomer Franck Marchis hosts a discussion with researchers Artem Y. Burdanov and Julien de Wit about their groundbreaking study, which revealed a significant shift in asteroid population around the 100-meter size range, likely resulting from collisions that break larger asteroids into smaller fragments. Discover how advanced tracking and infrared imaging techniques are enhancing our understanding of asteroid behavior and potentially improving our ability to predict and mitigate future asteroid threats to our planet.
