Asteroids: Earth's Nearest Neighbors with Amy Mainzer

Asteroids have interacted with Earth in the past and are certain to do so in the future. In this talk, Mainzer will explore the origins and evolution of the smallest bodies in our solar system as well as what has recently been learned about their orbital and physical properties. Recent advances in ground- and space-based astronomy have yielded new estimates of their numbers, orbits, sizes, and compositions. Systems to discover, track, characterize, and predict potential impacts from Earth's nearest neighbors will be discussed.