And she said there was a critical consequence of this - making it harder to spot asteroids.

About a teaspoonful of the asteroid was sent to scientists in the UK.

“Paradise” is not “about” climate collapse or nuclear weapons or a giant asteroid or an unstoppable virus, or any of the things that typically polish off the world in postapocalyptic fiction.

What are the odds of an asteroid of dangerous dimensions striking the planet?

The programme speculated space mining would become a lucrative industry, with companies excavating asteroids near Earth for precious metals.