By Associated Press
Huntsville, AL – You probably don't spend much time worrying about the possibility of a huge asteroid hitting the Earth. But some Alabama researchers are working to reduce the chance of that very thing happening.
A group of students and an engineer at the University of Alabama at Huntsville are developing a laser system that could detect and maybe even change the flight path of an Earth-bound asteroid.
Richard Fork and a group of about 10 researchers are developing a laser system to study ways to detect asteroids. And they're considering whether short pulses of laser light could be used to change their flight paths.
While the chances of a disastrous asteroid collision may be small, experts say they are still real. Fork says that's why it's important to find a way to detect asteroids and accurately predict their flight paths.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)