A group of Russian scientists are warning that space junk is more than a mere nuisance encircling our planet and that it could inadvertently cause the start of World War III.
Despite attempts to track large pieces of space junk, the researchers caution that there are countless tiny fragments of debris traveling at incredible speeds which could easily spell doom for any nearby satellites.
They argue that if a military satellite was downed by space junk it may cause nations to suspect foul play, since it is difficult to determine the culprit to be debris.
Should a key satellite suddenly go off line at an inopportune time, they say, it could trigger a catastrophic response here on Earth because, by nature, the nations with such capabilities also have powerful weapons at their disposal to use in retaliation.
Up until now, the unsolved downing of satellites has not provoked military action, but it could only be a matter of time and timing before such an exchange unfolds.
The report is part of a growing movement to acknowledge and solve the space junk issue before it becomes too big to handle.
Much like many an argument between roommates is over taking out the trash, perhaps space junk will be the ultimate cause for a showdown between nations sharing the Earth.
Source: The Guardian