Asteroids could wipe out humanity unless more effort is made to track and destroy them, a leading body of scientists and astronauts has warned.

Lord Martin Rees, the Astronomer Royal, Brian Cox, and Richard Dawkins are among more than 100 experts calling for the creation of a huge asteroid detection system to prevent a doomsday scenario.

At an event at London’s science museum on Wednesday night, Lord Rees read out a declaration resolving to “solve humanity’s greatest challenges to safeguard our families and quality of life on Earth in the future.”
The Declaration calls for governments to come together to employ all available technology to track near-Earth asteroids as well as a the global adoption of Asteroid Day on June 30 2015 – the anniversary of the asteroid impact at Tunguska, Siberia, which destroyed 800 square miles in 1908.

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Read more on The Telegraph (UK)