What on Earth?! Russia may send spaceship to knock threatening asteroid off course

It sounds like the script of a Hollywood blockbuster, but Russia is considering sending a spacecraft to knock an asteroid off its path and stop a collision with Earth. The head of the country's space agency, Anatoly Perminov, said a mission was being discussed, and other agencies would be invited to join the project. Nasa says there is no chance of the 270m (885ft) asteroid Apophis smashing into Earth in its first flyby in 2029, and only a 1-in-250,000 chance of a collision in 2036. But Mr Perminov insists the asteroid is a potential menace. He was vague about the evidence of a possible hit but said he had heard from a scientists that the asteroid is getting closer. 'I don't remember exactly, but it seems to me it could hit the Earth by 2032,' he said. (Daily Mail)