---
title: "Episode 781: A 1.3km asteroid impact on the breadasket of America. Could You Survive?"
url: "https://bepreparedsolutions.co/pbn/781-a-13km-asteroid-impact-on-the-breadasket-of-america-could-yo"
description: "Show notes with the sources behind them, plus related episodes for A 1.3km asteroid impact on the breadasket of America. Could You Survive?."
source: "BePrepared Solutions"
---

[![Prepper Broadcasting Network logo](https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/images.spreaker.com/original/cbb6e73246f575743b9df1c4f77fec20.jpg)![BePreparedSolutions.co logo](https://bepreparedsolutions.co/_next/image?url=%2Flogo.png&w=48&q=75)BePreparedSolutions.co](https://bepreparedsolutions.co/)

Episode 781On air now

# A 1.3km asteroid impact on the breadasket of America. Could You Survive?

**For PBN listeners:** you already prep. See what BePrepared adds for your address and your household.

[Start my free 7-day trial, no credit card](https://bepreparedsolutions.co/trial?source=pbn&returnTo=%2Fpbn%2F781-a-13km-asteroid-impact-on-the-breadasket-of-america-could-yo)[Ready to subscribe? Code PBN20 takes 20% off on eligible plans.](https://bepreparedsolutions.co/partner/pbn?c=pbn_show_notes_ribbon)

This episode is on air now[Listen live](https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prepper-broadcasting-network--3295097)

## The short version

A 1.3-kilometer asteroid striking the American Midwest would deliver blast and thermal damage across a radius of 100 to 200 kilometers, with effects potentially reaching 600 kilometers or more. Asteroids above 1 kilometer and carrying impact energies above 40 gigatons can eject enough material into the atmosphere to cause global climatic effects; NASA modeling gives this outcome a 6 percent probability among the largest modeled impact sizes. Such impacts could affect substantial fractions of the world's population through prolonged atmospheric disruption, sunlight blockage, and crop failure. The Chicxulub impact 66 million years ago, caused by an asteroid approximately 6 miles wide, killed roughly 75 percent of Earth's plant and animal species and generated a global tsunami. NASA scientists assess that an asteroid large enough to cause widespread damage is highly unlikely to strike Earth during the next 100 years or more. ([NASA Center for Near Earth Object Studies](https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/pd/cs/pdc23/PDC23-ImpactRisk-Epoch1.pdf "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · single source")\*, [NASA Center for Near Earth Object Studies](https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/pd/cs/pdc23/PDC23-ImpactRisk-Briefing.pdf "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · single source")\*, [NASA Center for Near Earth Object Studies](https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/pd/cs/pdc25/ImpactRiskIntro-ATAP-2023.pdf "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · single source")\*, [University of Michigan News](https://news.umich.edu/dinosaur-killing-asteroid-triggered-global-tsunami-that-scoured-seafloor-thousands-of-miles-from-impact-site/ "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · single source")\*, [NASA — 115 Years Ago: The Tunguska Asteroid Impact Event](https://www.nasa.gov/history/115-years-ago-the-tunguska-asteroid-impact-event/ "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · independently corroborated"), [NASA Science — Asteroid Facts](https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/asteroids/facts/ "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · single source")\*)

## Why this matters right now

NASA's 2025 Office of Inspector General report identified six planetary-defense goals: improving detection and tracking, modeling and prediction, reconnaissance and deflection technologies, international cooperation, impact-emergency procedures and exercises, and interagency management. The U.S. National Preparedness Strategy for Near-Earth Object Hazards and Planetary Defense, published in 2023, describes planetary defense as detecting and warning of potential impacts, preventing an impact when possible, and mitigating its effects when prevention is not possible. NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office now notifies federal decision-makers and agencies when a hazardous near-Earth object carries at least a 1 percent chance of impacting Earth within the next 50 years. ([NASA Office of Inspector General — NASA's Implementation and Management of Its Planetary Defense Strategy](https://oig.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/final-report-ig-25-006-nasas-implementation-and-management-of-its-planetary-defense-strategy.pdf "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · single source")\*, [NASA/National Science and Technology Council — National Preparedness Strategy and Action Plan for Near-Earth Object Hazards and Planetary Defense](https://assets.science.nasa.gov/content/dam/science/psd/planetary-science-division/2025/2023-NSTC-National-Preparedness-Strategy-and-Action-Plan-for-Near-Earth-Object-Hazards-and-Planetary-Defense.pdf "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · single source")\*, [NASA Science — Planetary Defense Overview](https://science.nasa.gov/planetary-defense-overview/ "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · single source")\*)

## Going deeper

Blast damage occurs in 100 percent of modeled land-or-shore asteroid-impact cases; thermal damage occurs in about 54 percent of cases overall and is generally less severe than blast damage. For a hypothetical impact in Chicago, the immediate local effects would depend strongly on asteroid diameter, composition, speed, entry angle, and whether it exploded in the atmosphere or reached the ground. Serious damage would likely extend roughly 100 to 200 kilometers outward, with damage potentially extending about 600 kilometers or more for some impacts. ([NASA Center for Near Earth Object Studies](https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/pd/cs/pdc23/PDC23-ImpactRisk-Epoch1.pdf "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · single source")\*, [NASA Center for Near Earth Object Studies](https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/pd/cs/ttx24/TTX5_longReadAhead.pdf "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · single source")\*)

Federal emergency-preparedness guidance does not establish one universal set of events that would occur in the United States or worldwide within three days; impacts depend on the hazard and location. Federal materials identify power outages, disrupted communications, the need for sheltering in place, sanitation challenges, medication needs, and limited access to food and water as conditions relevant to emergency planning. Federal guidance treats a loss of electrical power as an incident requiring immediate response actions within the first 72 hours. ([Federal Emergency Management Agency, Are You Ready? An In-Depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness](https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2021-11/are-you-ready-guide.pdf "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · single source")\*, [Federal Emergency Management Agency, Ready Emergency Supply List](https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2024-05/ready_supply-kit-checklist.pdf "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · independently corroborated"), [Federal Emergency Management Agency, Healthcare Facilities and Power Outages](https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-07/healthcare-facilities-and-power-outages.pdf "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · single source")\*)

NASA modeling states that sub-micron particles released by a large asteroid impact could remain in the lower atmosphere for months or years, while researchers model potential sunlight blockage, climate changes, and crop effects. The largest potential impacts could eject enough material into the atmosphere to cause global climatic effects affecting substantial fractions of the world's population. ([NASA Advanced Supercomputing Division](https://www.nas.nasa.gov/pubs/stories/2024/feature_how_NASA_supercomputers_capture_hypothetical_asteroid_impacts.html "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · single source")\*, [NASA Center for Near Earth Object Studies](https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/pd/cs/pdc23/PDC23-ImpactRisk-Epoch1.pdf "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · single source")\*)

Geological evidence from the Chicxulub crater indicates that life returned to the crater approximately two to three years after the impact, while a high-productivity ecosystem developed there within about 30,000 years. ([University of Alaska Fairbanks, Geophysical Institute](https://www.gi.alaska.edu/news/life-recovered-quickly-after-asteroid-impact-killed-dinosaurs "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · single source")\*)

## How this has played out before

The Chicxulub impact approximately 66 million years ago, associated with an asteroid approximately 6 miles wide, created a crater approximately 180 kilometers wide and was associated with the extinction of about 75 percent of Earth's species. The impact generated a global tsunami that scoured the seafloor thousands of miles from the impact site. ([NASA — 115 Years Ago: The Tunguska Asteroid Impact Event](https://www.nasa.gov/history/115-years-ago-the-tunguska-asteroid-impact-event/ "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · independently corroborated"), [University of Michigan News](https://news.umich.edu/dinosaur-killing-asteroid-triggered-global-tsunami-that-scoured-seafloor-thousands-of-miles-from-impact-site/ "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · single source")\*)

The 1908 Tunguska event was an atmospheric entry by a rocky meteoroid or comet less than 100 yards in diameter, with a shockwave that knocked down trees across hundreds of square miles. NASA estimates that a 1,000-meter asteroid impacts Earth about once every 700,000 years and could cause global devastation and possibly the collapse of civilization. A 10,000-meter asteroid impacts Earth about once every 100 million years and can cause global devastation and mass extinctions. ([NASA Science — Asteroid Facts](https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/asteroids/facts/ "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · independently corroborated"))

## What to do about it

-   Store one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation. ([Federal Emergency Management Agency, Are You Ready? An In-Depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness](https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2021-11/are-you-ready-guide.pdf "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · independently corroborated"), [Federal Emergency Management Agency, Ready.gov](https://www.ready.gov/kit "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · independently corroborated"))

    [See a kit that covers this](https://bepreparedsolutions.co/solutions/BeEquipped/kits/collect-filter-and-store-water)

-   Stock at least a several-day supply of nonperishable food. ([Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA Disaster Preparedness Guide for Older Adults](https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2023-09/ready-gov_disaster-preparedness-guide-for-older-adults.pdf "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · single source")\*)

    [See a kit that covers this](https://bepreparedsolutions.co/solutions/BeEquipped/kits/gourmet-survival-pantry)

-   Assemble a first-aid kit. ([Federal Emergency Management Agency, Build a Kit](https://www.ready.gov/kit "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · independently corroborated"))

    [See a kit that covers this](https://bepreparedsolutions.co/solutions/BeEquipped/kits/the-complete-family-health-hygiene-and-emergency-kit)

-   Gather cash in small bills. ([Federal Emergency Management Agency, Build a Kit](https://www.ready.gov/kit "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · independently corroborated"))

-   Check that you have at least a several-day supply of prescription medicines. ([Federal Emergency Management Agency, Build a Kit](https://www.ready.gov/kit "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · independently corroborated"))

-   Test flashlights and a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, and store extra batteries or an alternative power source. ([Federal Emergency Management Agency, Build a Kit](https://www.ready.gov/kit "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · independently corroborated"))

    [See a kit that covers this](https://bepreparedsolutions.co/solutions/BeEquipped/kits/emergency-alert-and-handheld-radios-for-when-cellular-is-out)

-   Stock sanitation supplies including toilet paper, soap, and waste bags. ([Federal Emergency Management Agency, Build a Kit](https://www.ready.gov/kit "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · independently corroborated"))

    [See a kit that covers this](https://bepreparedsolutions.co/solutions/BeEquipped/kits/out-of-the-ordinary-small-things-which-can-make-a-big-difference)

-   If you live in a remote or hard-to-reach area, extend water storage to 7 or 14 days depending on your location. ([Federal Emergency Management Agency, Build a Kit](https://www.ready.gov/kids/family-emergency-planning/build-a-kit "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · independently corroborated"), [Federal Emergency Management Agency, Are You Ready? An In-Depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness](https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2021-11/are-you-ready-guide.pdf "Retrieved 9/24/2026 · single source")\*)

    [See a kit that covers this](https://bepreparedsolutions.co/solutions/BeEquipped/kits/collect-filter-and-store-water)

## Sources and further reading

[Ready.gov — Build a Kit](https://www.ready.gov/kit) — Federal Emergency Management Agency, retrieved 2026-09-24

[Ready.gov — Water](https://www.ready.gov/water) — Federal Emergency Management Agency, retrieved 2026-09-24

[Are You Ready? An In-Depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness](https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2021-11/are-you-ready-guide.pdf) — Federal Emergency Management Agency, retrieved 2026-09-24

[FEMA Disaster Preparedness Guide for Older Adults](https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2023-09/ready-gov_disaster-preparedness-guide-for-older-adults.pdf) — Federal Emergency Management Agency, retrieved 2026-09-24

[Healthcare Facilities and Power Outages](https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-07/healthcare-facilities-and-power-outages.pdf) — Federal Emergency Management Agency, retrieved 2026-09-24

[Ready Emergency Supply List](https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2024-05/ready_supply-kit-checklist.pdf) — Federal Emergency Management Agency, retrieved 2026-09-24

[Build a Kit — Kids](https://www.ready.gov/kids/family-emergency-planning/build-a-kit) — Federal Emergency Management Agency, retrieved 2026-09-24

[How NASA Supercomputers Capture Hypothetical Asteroid Impacts](https://www.nas.nasa.gov/pubs/stories/2024/feature_how_NASA_supercomputers_capture_hypothetical_asteroid_impacts.html) — NASA Advanced Supercomputing Division, retrieved 2026-09-24

[Life Recovered Quickly After Asteroid Impact Killed Dinosaurs](https://www.gi.alaska.edu/news/life-recovered-quickly-after-asteroid-impact-killed-dinosaurs) — University of Alaska Fairbanks, Geophysical Institute, retrieved 2026-09-24

[National Risk Index for Natural Hazards](https://www.drought.gov/data-maps-tools/national-risk-index-natural-hazards) — Federal Emergency Management Agency, retrieved 2026-09-24

[National Risk Index Primer](https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_national-risk-index_primer.pdf) — Federal Emergency Management Agency, retrieved 2026-09-24

[Planetary Defense at NASA](https://science.nasa.gov/planetary-defense/) — NASA Science, retrieved 2026-09-24

[National Preparedness Strategy and Action Plan for Near-Earth Object Hazards and Planetary Defense](https://assets.science.nasa.gov/content/dam/science/psd/planetary-science-division/2025/2023-NSTC-National-Preparedness-Strategy-and-Action-Plan-for-Near-Earth-Object-Hazards-and-Planetary-Defense.pdf) — NASA/National Science and Technology Council, retrieved 2026-09-24

[NASA's Implementation and Management of Its Planetary Defense Strategy](https://oig.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/final-report-ig-25-006-nasas-implementation-and-management-of-its-planetary-defense-strategy.pdf) — NASA Office of Inspector General, retrieved 2026-09-24

[Planetary Defense Overview](https://science.nasa.gov/planetary-defense-overview/) — NASA Science, retrieved 2026-09-24

[Asteroid Facts](https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/asteroids/facts/) — NASA Science, retrieved 2026-09-24

[115 Years Ago: The Tunguska Asteroid Impact Event](https://www.nasa.gov/history/115-years-ago-the-tunguska-asteroid-impact-event/) — NASA, retrieved 2026-09-24

[PDC23 Impact Risk Assessment — Epoch 1](https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/pd/cs/pdc23/PDC23-ImpactRisk-Epoch1.pdf) — NASA Center for Near Earth Object Studies, retrieved 2026-09-24

[PDC23 Impact Risk Briefing](https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/pd/cs/pdc23/PDC23-ImpactRisk-Briefing.pdf) — NASA Center for Near Earth Object Studies, retrieved 2026-09-24

[Impact Risk Introduction — ATAP 2023](https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/pd/cs/pdc25/ImpactRiskIntro-ATAP-2023.pdf) — NASA Center for Near Earth Object Studies, retrieved 2026-09-24

[Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Triggered Global Tsunami](https://news.umich.edu/dinosaur-killing-asteroid-triggered-global-tsunami-that-scoured-seafloor-thousands-of-miles-from-impact-site/) — University of Michigan News, retrieved 2026-09-24

[TTX5 Long Read-Ahead](https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/pd/cs/ttx24/TTX5_longReadAhead.pdf) — NASA Center for Near Earth Object Studies, retrieved 2026-09-24

[Print these steps as a one-page field card](https://bepreparedsolutions.co/pbn/781-a-13km-asteroid-impact-on-the-breadasket-of-america-could-yo/card)

## From the archive

Earlier episodes that covered this ground.

-   The Last American - Your Rocket Stove Could Save Your Life

    the last american · August 2022

    [Listen](https://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-last-american-your-rocket-stove-could-save-your-life--51049312)

    Prioritize basic needs in emergency preparedness

-   Secrets of a Survivalist w/ Richard Duarte of Surviving Doomsday

    secrets of a survivalist · September 2019

    [Listen](https://www.spreaker.com/episode/secrets-of-a-survivalist-w-richard-duarte-of-surviving-doomsday--19025687)

    Urban survival presents unique challenges compared to rural environments

-   Properly storing fuel for the Apocalypse with Reality Check on PBN

    properly storing fuel for · March 2018

    [Listen](https://www.spreaker.com/episode/properly-storing-fuel-for-the-apocalypse-with-reality-check-on-pbn--16708111)

    Implement a rotation system for stored gasoline

-   The Strange Truth 20: Prepping for the Great Reset

    the strange truth · January 2026

    [Play from 84:31](https://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-strange-truth-20-prepping-for-the-great-reset--69438362#t=5071)

    Urban living conditions could deteriorate with reduced infrastructure

-   NPM Series 01: The Personalized Prepper Tech of Be Prepared Solutions

    npm series 01 · September 2026

    [Play from 26:47](https://www.spreaker.com/episode/npm-series-01-the-personalized-prepper-tech-of-be-prepared-solutions--74783803#t=1607)

    Emergency plans should be phased to address different timeframes

-   Podcast - Toolman Tim Talks Terrificly Terrifying Things

    podcast · December 2022

    [Listen](https://www.spreaker.com/episode/podcast-toolman-tim-talks-terrificly-terrifying-things--52149116)

    Post-apocalyptic media can offer insights into human behavior and preparedness

-   Reality Check\_Survival Video Games

    reality check survival video games · September 2019

    [Listen](https://www.spreaker.com/episode/reality-check-survival-video-games--19085246)

    Understanding threats and adapting strategies is key to survival

-   The PREPPING Year In Review

    the prepping year in · October 2022

    [Listen](https://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-prepping-year-in-review--51528928)

    Prepare for potential disruptions to essential services

-   The Art of Vehicular Preparedness with Gunmetal Armory on PBN

    the art of vehicular · January 2018

    [Listen](https://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-art-of-vehicular-preparedness-with-gunmetal-armory-on-pbn--16708194)

    Prepare your vehicle for emergencies beyond an EMP

-   THROWBACK THURSDAY: Defending Your Home! w/ Reality Check

    throwback thursday · September 2026

    [Play from 5:49](https://www.spreaker.com/episode/throwback-thursday-defending-your-home-w-reality-check--74861050#t=349)

    Understand that societal breakdown can occur rapidly and from minor events

-   Preppers LIVE: Darius with Prepared Mentality

    preppers live · June 2024

    [Listen](https://www.spreaker.com/episode/preppers-live-darius-with-prepared-mentality--60496821)

    Understand your local environment for effective preparation

-   Throwback Thursday: Getting Caught Off Grid with Reality Check

    throwback thursday · March 2026

    [Play from 9:47](https://www.spreaker.com/episode/throwback-thursday-getting-caught-off-grid-with-reality-check--70477388#t=587)

    The psychological impact of a power outage can be more jarring than expected

-   Recap of Ration or Ruin Week 4 w/ FD, IC, NBC Guy & Bankster Breaker

    recap of ration or · May 2025

    [Listen](https://www.spreaker.com/episode/recap-of-ration-or-ruin-week-4-w-fd-ic-nbc-guy-bankster-breaker--66345743)

    Long-term food storage requires a layered approach

-   Surviving America 058: Survival Gear

    surviving america · November 2025

    [Listen](https://www.spreaker.com/episode/surviving-america-058-survival-gear--68538501)

    Prioritize simple, effective, and affordable survival gear

Drawn from 649 of the network’s 7,665 episodes — the ones transcribed and indexed so far.

## Ask about this

Answered from ten years of the network’s own episodes, with the ones it drew on listed. If the shows haven’t covered it, it will say so.

[All episode notes](https://bepreparedsolutions.co/pbn)

---

_Guidance here is general and cannot account for your circumstances. In an active emergency, official instructions from local authorities take precedence over anything published by BePrepared Solutions._