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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Helen Davidson in Taipei

China opens recruitment for ‘planetary defence force’ amid fears of asteroid hitting Earth

Earth China NASA United States University of Hawaii
This image made available by University of Hawaii's asteroid impact alert system shows the motion of asteroid 2024 YR4 over about one hour, 27 December, 2024. (ATLAS / University of Hawaii / NASA via AP)
This image made available by University of Hawaii's asteroid impact alert system shows the motion of asteroid 2024 YR4 over about one hour, 27 December, 2024. (ATLAS / University of Hawaii / NASA via AP) Photograph: AP

China has begun recruiting for a planetary defence force after risk assessments determined that an asteroid could conceivably hit Earth in 2032.

Job ads posted online by China’s State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence (SASTIND) this week, sought young loyal graduates focused on aerospace engineering, international cooperation and asteroid detection.

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