An asteroid as large as an Olympic swimming pool has raced past the Earth at a distanceof just 27, 700km (17, 200mi) - the closest ever predicted for an objectof that size.
Scientists have played down suggestions that there is any link between the event in the Urals and 2012 DA14, an asteroid which raced past the Earth later on Friday at a distanceof just 27, 700km (17, 200 miles) - the closest ever for an objectof that size.
The scanner itself consists of a digital camera with an on-board laser that determines the distance to the object, although it also apparently requires that targets be placed around the scene to properly scan the object -- or person, as the case may be.