Scientists were debating whether an asteroid was about to hit the Earth.

科学家们在争论一颗小行星是否要撞上地球。

《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

Astronomers have detected an asteroid not far from Earth, moving in the same orbit around the Sun.

天文学家在距离地球不远处发现一颗小行星，它与地球在同一轨道上围绕太阳运行。

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Some scientists hypothesize that the extinction of the dinosaurs resulted from the effects of an asteroid collision with Earth.

一些科学家假定，小行星撞击地球导致了恐龙的灭绝。

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In two thousand eight Norway opened a so-called doomsday vault designed to be secure from any threat -- even an asteroid strike.

VOA: special.2010.08.24

Knowing more about how the Yarkovsky effect changes an asteroid's orbit will help scientists better predict whether RQ36 will come near Earth.

VOA: special.2011.06.22

"We will start by sending astronauts to an asteroid for the first time in history.

VOA: special.2010.04.28

Did an asteroid hit it, blasting the greater part of its atmosphere into space?

NEWYORKER: The Martian Chroniclers

That could happen again, with the economic equivalent of an asteroid coming out of the blue.

FORBES: Anticipate the V

We are more likely to win the lottery twice than to be hit by an asteroid.

FORBES: What Can NASA Do To Stop An Asteroid From Hitting Earth?