Our corner of space is strewn with space rocks left over from the birth of the Solar System. These near-Earth objects, or NEOs, have orbits that bring them close to Earth's orbit. Although they are scientifically interesting and can teach us about our origins, they can also be dangerous.
Fortunately, given enough time and preparation, it is possible to defend our planet from dangerous asteroids. Small nudges to a near-Earth asteroid's path can have big long-term consequences, turning a direct hit into a near-miss.
