space rocks

Doctor Penner and Professor Scot moves towards you and unties the cables.

 

“Charlie, I’ve got the maps.  Show me the calculations.  Jim will call back in a few hours and I don’t think his team will come to see it the way you do.” He signals for you to follow him to the laptop as he opens his laptop to look at the documents Moorland just loaded on the system.

Professor Scot unlocks the system and scrolls through the data that NASA sent.  He looks up from the computer and frowns.  “Charlie, I think you were wrong.”  He places his hand over his mouth and looks to you with widened eyes as he sighs.

 

“What? No, check again.  See that graph there?  See how the x graph leans to the left?  If you combine it with the velocity graph, and deduct that the speed and the force moves at a parallel, you will calculate that it hits earth.  But, you can’t do that, because of the angled rotation.  You see if the mass was balanced and the rock rotated around an axis with a balanced weight, then yes, we’re dead.  But the unbalanced weight and pressure from the blast means that the course NASA predicted is impossible.  Your graphs won’t show that, because NASA didn’t consider the unbalanced rotation.  It already shifted from its predicted path.  Look at the original graph, it is 2 degrees south of what they estimated.  They are wrong.  It won’t hit us.  We’re all alive, and so will earth be.”   You turn your hands around each other in circles to show him how the path of the space rock will curve and miss earth.

 

“No, are you… I see it! Yes, this makes perfect sense!  How could I miss this?  I knew the end wasn’t here yet!  Ain’t nobody calling that rock Wormwood.”

 

“Why would they…”

 

“Oh, he’s quoting Bible Armageddon stuff.  I’m on your side Professor.  I’m not ready to believe that we’re on our way out just yet.  Can’t say I’m ready,” says Doctor Penner and looks to Professor Scot, “but don’t go preaching to me again Professor.  I’m working on it.”