‘Planet-killer’ asteroid will cross Earth’s orbit
And other stories from the stranger side of life
Astronomers have discovered the largest planet killer-sized asteroid in eight years, reported The Guardian. “Any asteroid over 1km in size is considered a planet killer,” wrote Scott Sheppard in the Astronomical Journal, adding that should the asteroid strike Earth, “it would be a mass extinction event like hasn’t been seen on Earth in millions of years”. The asteroid, named 2022 AP7, will cross our planet’s orbit but “has no chance to hit the Earth, currently”, added Sheppard.
Compromise reached in Orkney bin wars
Scottish islanders have been told to stop weighing down their bins with heavy rocks during windy spells as it is too tiring for binmen to lift them off. Orkney Islands Council told its 22,000 residents to stop using bungee cords and breeze blocks to clamp down the lids during heavy wind. With tensions running high over the issue, the council had originally banned any weight at all being strapped down before a “very angry” response from locals forced them to agree compromise, said The Telegraph.
Harry Potter fans told to stop leaving socks at site
The National Trust is pleading with fans of Harry Potter to stop leaving socks and painted rocks on a beach where the death of Dobby, the house elf, was filmed. A makeshift grave at the “resting place” of Dobby was created by fans in the dunes of Freshwater West, Pembrokeshire, said The Times. “The trust is asking visitors to only take photos,” said a spokesman. “Items like socks, trinkets, and paint chips from painted pebbles could enter the marine environment and food chain and put wildlife at risk.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
For more odd news stories, sign up to the weekly Tall Tales newsletter.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Chas Newkey-Burden has been part of The Week Digital team for more than a decade and a journalist for 25 years, starting out on the irreverent football weekly 90 Minutes, before moving to lifestyle magazines Loaded and Attitude. He was a columnist for The Big Issue and landed a world exclusive with David Beckham that became the weekly magazine’s bestselling issue. He now writes regularly for The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Independent, Metro, FourFourTwo and the i new site. He is also the author of a number of non-fiction books.
-
5 high rating cartoons about Biden's low poll numbers
Cartoons Artists take on checklists, ice creams, and more
By The Week US Published
-
A gastronomic tour of the Costa de la Luz
The Week Recommends This Spanish spot has fantastic restaurants "rooted in the region's distinctive produce"
By The Week UK Published
-
Crossword: May 19, 2024
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
The best films and documentaries about space exploration
The Week Recommends The cosmos infiltrates Planet Earth's cinemas
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
What is NASA working on?
In Depth A running list of the space agency's most exciting developments
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
14 recent scientific breakthroughs
In Depth From photos of the infant universe to an energy advancement that could save the planet
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
The hunt for Planet Nine
Under The Radar Researchers seeking the elusive Earth-like planet beyond Neptune are narrowing down their search
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Winchcombe meteorite: space rock may reveal how water came to Earth
The Explainer New analysis of its violent journey confirms scientific theories on the origin of our planet's H2O
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Why the Moon is getting a new time zone
The Explainer The creation of 'coordinated lunar time' is part of Nasa's mission to establish a long-term presence on Earth's only natural satellite
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
We're in the golden age of space exploration
In depth To infinity and beyond!
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
All the major moon landings so far
The Explainer One giant leap for mankind
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published