Otto M. Schwarz

Asteroid

Asteroids and comets have played an important role throughout the history of life on earth. It is quite probable that the dinosaurs have been exterminated by an asteroid's impact in the Gulf of Mexico. Huge tidal waves and fire storms wiped out all life. This is the year 2067 according to the Christian calendar. A collision has just taken place in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter and caused an asteroid to enter the earth's power of gravitation. It is instoppably approaching the blue planet. As its peoples have been fighting each other continuously, they missed the building of a global defence system against dangers coming from space. A scanner records the asteroid and immediately sends a message to the President of the Anglo-American Union. The probability that the asteroid will hit the earth is judged 50% by the experts. Plans are made to shoot the celestial body with rockets live with hydrogen bombs or laser guns in order to throw it off its track, but they fail. The asteroid's size seems to threaten the existence of mankind. Those in the know stare at the night sky in bewilderment. But for the time being, there is still peace on earth....