How to destroy anywhere on Earth with new asteroid simulator

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A new web app that allows you to annihilate any location on Earth with your very own asteroid might be the ideal diversion for anyone currently feeling suffocated by the post-Christmas slump.

If you are utterly sick of visiting relatives, stale Quality Street and the prospect of yet more greying turkey sandwiches as the year drags itself interminably towards the finish line, Asteroid Launcher could be for you.

The game from Neal.Fun allows you to choose the mineral makeup of your space projectile (iron, stone, carbon or gold) and select its diameter, speed and preferred impact angle.

You then simply choose your target and fire at will.

Ever wanted to level New York City, Paris or Tokyo like an extraterrestrial invader or baying sea monster from a big screen blockbuster – or even just blow up your dreary hometown and everyone in it?

Now’s your chance to play the vengeful god and see how much devastation you can wreak.

The game has been described as “morbid yet fascinating” by PC Gamer and that is certainly a fair assessment as it does invite the player to consider the geology and mathematics involved in addition to allowing you to live out your darkest fantasies of global mass destruction.

The smouldering crater your asteroid leaves in its wake comes with a kill count, you will be delighted to learn, informing you precisely how many locals have been “vaporised” by the fireball itself or associated shockwaves, as well as data on the impact velocity and power of the blast in gigatons.

The game was reportedly developed by coder Neil Agarwhal as a successor to Alex Wellerstein’s 2012 nuclear weapons simulator Nukemap and uses real academic calculations for accuracy.

Astronomers are currently monitoring the progress of around 2,200 real asteroids, according to Space.com, although the chance of one actually hitting Earth is remote, no matter what the movies tell us.

Having said that, the dinosaurs wiped out 66 million years ago were probably equally dismissive about the extent of the threat they faced and look what happened to them.