巨大的小行星“可能会对地球上的生命构成威胁”
A massive mile-long double asteroid linked to a one-inch meteor that streaked a fireball over Japan three years ago could threaten humanity in millions of years if it eventually breaks up, scientists wrote in a report published Monday.
科学家们在周一发表的一份报告中写道，一颗巨大的、长达1英里的双小行星与一颗1英寸的流星有关，这颗流星三年前在日本上空划过一个火球，如果它最终解体，可能会在数百万年后威胁人类。
“The potential breakup of the rock could be dangerous to life on Earth,” Toshihiro Kasuga, a visiting scientist at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan and Kyoto Sangyo University, said in a release Wednesday, according to CNET. “Those resulting asteroids could hit the Earth in the next 10 million years or so.”
据CNET报道，日本国家天文台和京都产业大学的访问科学家Toshihiro Kasuga在周三发布的一份新闻稿中说:“这块岩石的潜在破裂可能会威胁到地球上的生命。”“这些产生的小行星可能在未来1000万年左右撞击地球。”
The findings were first reported in The Astronomical Journal Monday.
这一发现首次发表在周一的《天文学杂志》上。
The fireball that passed over Kyoto, Japan, late at night on April 28, 2017, was a one-inch meteor that broke off the asteroid measuring more than a mile wide, scientists later determined, according to Live Science.
据《生活科学》杂志报道，科学家们后来确定，2017年4月28日深夜，在日本京都上空飞过的火球是一颗直径1英寸的流星，从直径超过1英里的小行星上坠落。
“We uncovered the fireball’s true identity,” Kasuga said, according to CNET. “The 2017 fireball and its parent asteroid gave us a behind-the-scenes look at meteors.”
据CNET报道，Kasuga说:“我们发现了火球的真实身份。”“2017年的火球和它的母体小行星让我们看到了流星的幕后景象。”
The asteroid, known as 2003 YT1, is made up of two parts: the larger rock measures 1.2 miles and is orbited by a 690-foot piece.
这颗被称为2003年YT1的小行星由两部分组成:较大的那块岩石长1.2英里，由一块690英尺的岩石环绕运行。
“The parent body 2003 YT1 could break up and those resulting asteroids could hit the Earth in the next 10 million years or so, especially because 2003 YT1 has a dust production mechanism,” he added, the Daily Express reported.
据《每日快报》报道，他补充说:“2003年YT1的母体可能会解体，而由此产生的小行星可能会在未来1000万年左右撞击地球，特别是因为2003年YT1有一个产生尘埃的机制。”
The asteroid was first discovered in 2003, hence its name.
这颗小行星于2003年首次被发现，因此得名。
It has a history of cracking and releasing dust particles into space, The Express reported.
据《每日快报》报道，它有爆裂和向太空释放灰尘颗粒的历史。
