With reports that NASA's UASR satellite is due to crash into multiple pieces in an undetermined place on Earth on Saturday morning (or Friday night depending on your source), sensationalist headlines around the world have urged people to keep an eye on the sky and even duck for cover. But Twitter subscribers have largely been far too busy to worry about such trivialities, coming up with their own witty one-liners to help diffuse any potential concerns.
Here’s the pick of a few Satellite-flavoured Tweets today:
MrsStephenFry Mrs Stephen Fry
I don't know why people are worrying about being hit by a bus-sized #satellite. You're far more likely to be hit by a satellite-sized bus.
GarethAveyard Gareth Aveyard
If you live in a highrise flat, and have a fridge you want rid of but can't be arsed lugging down the stairs. Today's the day. #satellite
LiterallyJamie Not Jamie Redknapp
Prem news; Wenger controversially bolsters Arsenal's aerial threat by naming the falling #satellite in the first team v Bolton.
MattRod Matthew Rodriguez
There's a satellite crashing into earth tomorrow. It's not too late to send Bruce Willis & Ben Affleck up there...permanently. #UARS
You can keep an eye on related Tweets @ #satellite and #UARS.
Apparently, the odds of getting hit by the satellite are (once again, depending on which source you read) anything from 1-in-3,200 to one-in-several-trillion. KeithAllGamer sums it up nicely – “If I get hit by a piece of the #UARS satellite, I'm definitely going to go buy a lottery ticket!” he Tweets.
Incidentally, the BBC reports that the satellite could fall between 23:00 GMT Friday, and as late as 03:00 GMT on Saturday. With over 70% of the Earth covered in water, we should be safe. Fingers crossed.