XiXiDu comments on Other Existential Risks - Less Wrong
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Comments (120)
Asteroid risk is a good "poster child" for existential risk in general, since it's easily understood and doesn't provoke skepticism the way other risks can. To some extent, this means I'm less worried about it, since I'm more optimistic that if I don't campaign about it someone else will.
I wish. Last time I read about it the U.S. gov wasn't inclined to spend the few million necessary for an all-sky survey to register all potentially dangerous objects.
Is it only expected to be a few million? This could easily be privately funded with a good advertising campaign. For example, a project which might have a similar audience, SETI, is entirely privately funded and has a budget of a few million a year.