National Geographic News, Reporting Your World Daily

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Photo: Jupiter Both an Impact Source and Shield for Earth


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A planet is bombarded by impactors in this artist's conception. A popular theory proposed in 1994 held that gas giants like Jupiter protect rocky planets like Earth from an otherwise constant barrage of impacts.

But a new computer model has cast Jupiter's long-standing reputation as a shield into doubt, saying that Earth is no more or less vulnerable with Jupiter on the scene.

Image © Julian Baum