Apophis 99942 is a two-mile-wide near-Earth orbit space rock that continues to pose a destructive threat. Initial observations from NASA in 2004 revealed a probability of 2.7 per cent that it could strike Earth in 2029. The space agency has since ruled out that date, revealing in February 2013 there is instead a 150,000/1 chance of a direct impact with Earth in 2068.

However, Jay Melosh, an American geophysicist, has urged the public not to fear as he has a genius way of saving the planet, should an asteroid be on a collision course. 

He revealed during Amazon Prime’s “Asteroid Trackers” series how NASA could knock the space rock off course. 

He said in 2009: “In space, we would use a mirror like a magnifying glass. 

“As we hit the asteroid, we begin to vaporise material and, as it vaporises, the asteroid gets pushed the other way. 

All we need to do is change the velocity of the asteroid by one centimetre a second

Jay Melosh

“What we would do with a real asteroid is focus some light on it until the rock vaporises.

“All we need to do is change the velocity of the asteroid by one centimetre a second. 

“That tiny nudge over the year will push it off a collision course and save Earth.” 

Mr Melosh previously made a chilling prediction if the asteroid did strike Earth, revealing how it could wipe out a whole city. 

He said: “With Apophis, it is well enough identified that we would know pretty well where it will impact and when. 

“If something like Apophis were to strike a city – let’s say it fell on Boston – it could create a ten-kilometre-wide crater.

“Almost all of metropolitan Boston would be destroyed. 

“The sky would turn bright red and you would feel heat like there were six suns in the sky. 

“Clothing would ignite, you would suffer third-degree burns, it would be devastating.”

Source: Express.com