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Scientists propose nuking solution to Doomsday asteroid — as thousands of city-killers swarm Earth

Nypost · 🇨🇳 public China · · 559 words · By Ben Cost
Planetary Defense Catastrophic Risk Nuclear Weaponry
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What to know about Planetary Defense

Scientists propose nuking solution to Doomsday asteroid — as thousands of city-killers swarm Earth See more of our coverage in your search results.

Claims checked 12
Techniques found 3
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center75%
Right25%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Scientists propose nuking solution to Doomsday asteroid — as thousands of city-killers swarm Earth See more of our coverage in your search results.

Why it matters

Add The New York Post on Google That’s one way to stop the a-rock-alypse.

Common ground

Chinese scientists have devised an unorthodox solution to stop a potential Doomsday asteroid from destroying Earth — by nuking the space-rock with a force equivalent to multiple Hiroshima bombs.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Appeal to Fear, Exaggeration / Hyperbole: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/08/04/science/scientists-propose-nuking-doomsday-asteroi…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 3 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 90% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Appeal to Fear 80% confidence
Building support by instilling anxiety or panic in the audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing appeal to fear helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Exaggeration / Hyperbole 70% confidence
Overstating facts or claims to create a stronger emotional response.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing exaggeration / hyperbole helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 12 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

verified Verified By Reference 5
check_circle Corroborated 2
help Insufficient Evidence 2
schedule Pending 2
info Single Source 1
verified
Claim 1: “NASA scientists have warned that there are as many as 15,000 several hundred-foot -wide asteroids that are small enough to avoid detection but large enough to destroy a city.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The provided evidence contains general NASA information and irrelevant search results, but does not contain the specific statistic about 15,000 city-destroying asteroids.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for the United States' civil space program, as well as research in aeronau…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — NASA+ is an American streaming television service operated by NASA. Launched on November 8, 2023, the service primarily carries video content related to the agency and astronomy, including news, docum…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA+
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — NASA is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, an American space and aeronautics agency. NASA, nasa, or Nasa may also refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_(disambiguation)
+ 3 more evidence sources
check_circle
Claim 2: “the researchers proposed first drilling deep inside the intergalactic gravelstone and then implanting the nuclear bomb inside this blast crater for detonation.”
CORROBORATED
Web search results specifically mention a proposal to bury a nuclear bomb inside an asteroid by first digging a crater.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — asteroid.[104]. A similar proposal would use a surface-detonating nuclear device in place of the kinetic impactor to create the initial crater, then using the crater as a rocket nozzle to channel succ…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_impact_avoidance
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Detonating a series of smaller nuclear devices alongside the asteroid, far enough away as to not fracture the object. This form of nuclear pulse propulsion would alter the asteroid’s course and hopefu…
https://lifeboat.com/ex/asteroidshield
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Scientists have suggested burying a nuclear bomb inside of an asteroid to help save us from destruction.It would require sending a spacecraft to the asteroid, and dropping a convention device that wou…
https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/scientists-plan-bury-aster…
verified
Claim 3: “a bus-sized space rock that came within 56,000 miles of Earth in May”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The provided evidence for this claim consists of bus company advertisements and general Earth facts; no evidence regarding a specific asteroid passing Earth in May was found.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. This is made possible by Earth being an ocean world, the only one in the Solar System sustaining liquid su…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — In geography and cartography, hemispheres of Earth are any division of the globe into two equal halves (hemispheres), typically divided into northern and southern halves by the Equator and into wester…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemispheres_of_Earth
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Mother Earth may refer to: The Earth goddess in any of the world's mythologies Mother goddess Mother Nature, a common personification of the Earth and its biosphere as the giver and sustainer of life
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Earth
+ 3 more evidence sources
help
Claim 4: “installing the nuclear payload around 100 meters deep tripled the change in the rock’s velocity compared to a shallower version.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found after searching for the specific finding regarding 100-meter depth and velocity change.
verified
Claim 5: “the latest study published in the journal Space: Science & Technology, the only viable way to nip a Doomsday asteroid in the bud would be via impregnating it with a nuclear device.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The search results for this claim returned irrelevant information about Subaru repair and unrelated space institutes; no mention of the specific study in 'Space: Science & Technology' was found in the evidence.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) is a government-aided institute and deemed university for the study and research of space science in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. IIST was…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Institute_of_Space_Scie…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Ministry of Science and Technology is a government ministry in Israel, headed by the Science and Technology Minister. The portfolio has been renamed several times since its creation, and has previ…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ministry_of_Science,_Technolog…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. It has jurisdiction over non-defense federal scientific research and development. More spe…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_Committee_…
+ 3 more evidence sources
help
Claim 6: “a 164-foot asteroid could be obliterated with a 300-kiloton nuclear explosion — the same as around 20 Hiroshima bombs — while a 3-megaton blast could destroy a nearly 1,000-meter one”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found after searching for these specific blast yield and asteroid size correlations.
check_circle
Claim 7: “Chinese scientists have devised an unorthodox solution to stop a potential Doomsday asteroid from destroying Earth — by nuking the space-rock with a force equivalent to multiple Hiroshima bombs.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web sources confirm that Chinese researchers have proposed and simulated a strategy using nuclear weapons to deflect or destroy asteroids.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Of course, the same weapon and tracking systems that China is claiming will be used to stop asteroids from hitting Earth can just as easily be turned on Chinese rivals on the Earth below. That’s becau…
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/china-wants-to-put-nu…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — This article assesses the merits of using nuclear explosives to stop asteroids from hitting Earth. The article begins as follows: Over the years, nuclear explosions have been proposed for a variety of…
https://gcri.org/publications/commentary/should-nuclear-devi…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Chinese researchers tested in simulations a strategy to deflect or destroy asteroids over 100 meters before a collision with Earth. China is evaluating a planetary defense proposal that seems straight…
https://en.clickpetroleoegas.com.br/chinas-plan-to-prevent-g…
verified
Claim 8: “NASA used a spacecraft to knock the asteroid Dimorphos off course in 2022.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Both NASA sources and Wikipedia confirm that the DART mission successfully impacted and altered the trajectory of the asteroid Dimorphos in 2022.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — 65803 Didymos (provisional designation 1996 GT) is a sub-kilometer asteroid and binary system that is classified as a potentially hazardous asteroid and near-Earth object of the Apollo group. The aste…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/65803_Didymos
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Dimorphos (formal designation (65803) Didymos I; provisional designation S/2003 (65803) 1) is a natural satellite or moon of the near-Earth asteroid 65803 Didymos, with which it forms a binary system.…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dimorphos
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) was a NASA space mission to test a method of planetary defense against near-Earth objects (NEOs). It was designed to assess how much a spacecraft impact can…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_Asteroid_Redirection_Te…
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
Claim 9: “the researchers, who hailed from the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology in Beijing”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia confirms the existence and location of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) in Beijing.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The A-100 is a 300 mm (12 in), 10-tube multiple rocket launcher developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), a subsidiary of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporati…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-100_(multiple_rocket_launche…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) is a research institute affiliated with the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). Established in 1957 by Qian Xuesen, it is h…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_Academy_of_Launch_Vehicl…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A super heavy-lift launch vehicle (SHLLV) is a rocket that can lift a payload of 50 metric tons (110,000 lb) to low Earth orbit according to the United States, and more than 100 metric tons (220,000 l…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_heavy-lift_launch_vehicl…
+ 3 more evidence sources
schedule
Claim 10: “scientists floated going “Armageddon” on 2024 YR4, a space rock that sparked worldwide concern that it could strike our planet on December 23, 2032”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info
Claim 11: “the researchers conducted a computer simulation involving hypothetical asteroids approaching Earth at a speed of 6 miles per second.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence contains general definitions of research and researcher directories, but no specific data on simulations involving asteroids at 6 miles per second.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — There are several forms of research: scientific, humanities, artistic, economic, social, business, marketing, practitioner research, life, technological, etc. The scientific study of research practice…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Discover the world's scientific knowledge | With 25+ million researchers, 1+ million questions, and 160+ million publication pages, this is where everyone can access science
https://www.researchgate.net/search/researcher
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Ready to be a researcher? ResearchMatch is a free recruitment tool and feasibility analysis resource to researchers at participating institutions.
https://www.researchmatch.org/researchers/
schedule
Claim 12: “NASA’s Center for Near Earth Objects has since downgraded the likelihood of the space rock striking home to a negligible 0.00081% chance, but upped the chances of it hitting the moon on that date to over 4%.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.