Many scientists attribute this particular asteroid strike as being the "extinction event" that took out the dinosaurs.

This week in the magazine, Tad Friend reports on the threat of asteroid strikes, and what is being done to protect the human race.

That, as you know, is the exact type identified with the Chicxulub asteroid strike.

A dinosaur that had actually died from the Chicxulub asteroid strike.

Are people also "concerned about" the possibility of dinosaur-killer asteroid strike?

"Or a rogue asteroid strike, for that matter," Thoris said.

One asteroid strike can ruin your whole day.

But the authors say, in providing perspective, that in the last 65 million years there have probably been about 200 asteroid strikes of similar magnitude.

Some of this history is obvious - you can't miss the impact of giant craters blasted out by asteroid strikes.

"It will be difficult to keep world opinion from demanding your immediate execution," Malik said, "once the asteroid strikes."