Scientists estimate there are as many as 6,200 near-Earth asteroids that could slam into us one day. Unfortunately, they're hard to spot-we've had to look for them based on the minuscule amounts of light theyrnreflect toward us. But recently researchers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory have turned to a spacerntelescope known as WISE (Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer) to get a better picture based on the heat theyrnproduce. The result is the most detailed map we've ever had of the location and orbital path of potentiallyrnhazardous asteroids. Scientists can now also nail down the diameter of an asteroid to within 10 percent.
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