An asteroid branded as "potentially hazardous" came close to hitting Earth on Feb. 17. This space rock was named 2000 EM26. According to scientists, it passed close to the Earth, but did not not pose a threat even though it was only a mere 8.8 lunar distances away. However, this object was still classified as "potentially hazardous" since the size is so huge that it can possibly create a huge wreck if ever it hits the Earth's surface. According to its estimate size, this object is about 270 meters wide, or the size of 3 football fields. It is also traveling at a speed of 27,000 mph.

According to reports, the asteroid was at its closest at around 2 a.m. (U.K. time). The images of the rock coming close to the Earth will be captured on the Slooh robotic telescope service. The appearance of this rock is also interesting since it comes almost exactly one year after two other huge rocks came close to the Earth on Feb. 15, 2013.

One of them became really controversial as it exploded above Chelyabinsk, Russia. The said meteor was 20 meters wide and was just 18 miles above the ground. The energy it released can be compared to that of 20 atomic bombs. A lot of people were injured and thousands of buildings were damaged, but it did not cause any death. Scientists at Iowa State University have proposed using nuclear bombs to strike future large asteroids following the aftermath of Chelyabinsk.

The team calls the concept 'Hypervelocity Asteroid Intercept Vehicle' which they claim could be ready in 24 hours and would send a "kinetic impactor" to barrell into the asteroid to drill a hole for the nuclear bomb on board which would then enter and detonate inside the hole, shattering the asteroid into smaller pieces which would then pose no extinction threat.

Every now and then, massive asteroids strike the Earth. We have learned about several asteroid impacts in the last centuries that have totally changed the face of the planet. The ongoing threat brought about by these huge objects should really be tracked, according to the Iowa State scientists. They said that anything is possible even if the chances are small, and that there should also be contingency plans in order to deflect asteroids that come too close on a short notice to avoid major disasters.