7 Doomsday Scenarios You Probably Shouldn't Worry About (And 2 You Really Should)

5. Asteroid Impact

Don't get me wrong, if an asteroid came screaming out of the sky, we'd certainly know about it. But the likelihood of it actually happening, particularly within your lifetime, is much less likely than the media would have you believe.

It is precisely because of the cataclysmic damage and asteroid impact would bring about, that we keep such a close eye on our rocky solar neighbours. The various Spaceguard programmes around the world are set up with the sole purpose of keeping their eyes on the skies, and watching any potential hazards closely. As such, we have a pretty good idea of where everything is in the solar system and what kind of threat they pose.

Over a thousand asteroids are classed as "potentially hazardous" which certainly sounds bad and is probably where the media get their scary headlines from. However, the terror factor dials down significantly when you consider that one of the most immediate and dangerous threats, the snappily named TV135 which swung by the Earth in 2013 and will do so again in 2032, still only has an impact probability of about 0.002%.

What's more, if something big and deadly is headed our way, scientists have a number of strategies that would help us to divert it.

The good thing about physics is that it makes it a bit easier to predict how things will behave and, bar a massive upheaval in the laws that govern the universe, the chances of death by asteroid in the near future remain vanishingly small.