I just Googled it, but all of the news sources that presented the story were not reliable. Could this be a hoax? I don't really get how a 13 year old German kid could get the astronomical data in order to be able to ascertain such calculations. Also, the prediction is about the Apophis asteroid, which this kid predicted a 1:450 chance of hitting Earth, as opposed to NASA's 1:45,000 chance. That seems like a very odd probability difference - almost like NASA forgot to convert units or something. Of course, that's why they slammed that Mars Rover into Mars' surface the first time...
Yeah, but Moe, this is... Woah, your post count is 666. Creepy. Anyways, Moe, this would be a simple metric conversion, not like working with metric to imperial, where the difference would be more than a few zeros. Rather, it'd be a completely different number.
I wouldn't consider 13 as boy, more like teenager. I doubt this really happened. I'm pretty sure that they would double-check their calculations all the time. Although anyone can make a simple mistake.
I read a news article awhile ago about a 10 year old that corrected a label at the Smithsonian Museum.
That's a link to an article claiming that the kid's numbers were wrong. I still don't think there was a kid that was actually calculating anything, though.
Well, anything is possible, well kind of, but I also agree that this isn't true. Also, DaMasta, sure we all make mistakes, but I really doubt that NASA should me making mistakes because that's how they get people killed haha. Slight miscaculations and BOOM the rocket is in a thousnad peices.
Well i think it is posible... Um... The kid said the chances are 1:450 and NASA said 1:45.000... I think its very possible since NASA as a govermant institution will lie to people to make them calm,and not panic... But he is a 13 year old... I dont get how one kid can make those calculations.... Also 1:45.000 sure as hell looks better than 1:450 Is it possible that you are lying to your selves for the hope of the better?
