Today in click bait I fell for:

I clicked on this not really thinking that the planet was in imminent danger of being struck by a civilization-ending asteroid. I mean, you'd think such a thing would be the number one headline, but I mean, it does say: "Huge 'planet killer' asteroid discovered - and it's heading our way." There's not a lot of wiggle room there. I mean, look at it:

I think I can be forgiven for falling for it, since
it does explicitly say we're all going to die.

Sure, it would end the human race, but it
would so take Kari Lake with it, so...

Yes, it does say in smaller text underneath the warning of our entire planet's imminent destruction that the asteroid in question, thrillingly named 2022 AP7, has no chance of hitting Earth. But I mean, who reads the sub heading under "Killer Astroid Headed Our Way?" No one, that's who. You click on the impending doom. And click I did, and the result was disappointing. Well, maybe disappointing isn't the word. I mean, I'm thrilled that the Earth isn't hours from destruction. Theoretically thrilled that is.

The headline "Killer asteroid flies harmlessly
through space" just doesn't get as many clicks.

In fairness, at a robust two kilometers in diameter, "planet killer" seems pretty accurate. But "it's heading our way"? Unless you consider crossing the Earth's path while the Earth is on the other side of the Sun "heading our way," 2022 AP7 is definitely not heading our way. Not yet anyway. Dun dun dun...Yeah, according to astronomer Scott Sheppard, the asteroid's orbit will eventually pass through the Earth's orbital path at a point at which it could pose a threat, but that's centuries off. And I mean, we won't be alive, so who cares?

Nobody, that's who. It's all part of that empathy deficit we seem to be experiencing right now. Unless something is happening directly to us, we don't care. Or, if it is happening directly to us, we care, but only as long as it's not going to cost us anything or is inconvenient. 

Sorry to leave you a hot, dry, burnt out husk of a planet kids. Just know that
it was for the greater good. I mean, did you see ExxonMobil's profits this quarter?