Chinese scientists propose nuclear detonation method to deflect asteroids

Chinese scientists propose a "pre-excavation detonation" method to destroy or deflect large asteroids threatening Earth. This nuclear detonation strategy involves creating a deep crater before exploding a warhead inside the asteroid, offering more effective energy coupling than shallow detonations. The research, published in Space: Science and Technology, modeled scenarios with warning times from one to twenty years, considering various asteroid sizes and compositions.