Will an asteroid collision wipe out life from Earth?

Scientists from Queen's University Belfast claim that an asteroid is likely to strike Earth soon and it has the potential to wipe out human life. 

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According to Professor Alan Fitzsimmons, it's a case of when an asteroid collision will happen, rather than if it will happen.

"It is important to know that scientists and engineers have made great strides in detecting Near-Earth Asteroids and understanding the threat posed by them. Over 1,800 potentially hazardous objects have been discovered so far, but there are much more waiting to be found," Professor Fitzsimmons stated.

Fitzsimmons along with Brian Cox and astronauts, including Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart and International Space Station astronaut Nicole Stott, revealed about the danger of the asteroid collision with Earth, which would be way more destructive and dangerous unlike the Tunguska event took place in 1908 near Stony Tunguska River in Siberia damaging a total of 800 square miles. 

"Astronomers find near-Earth asteroids every day and most are harmless. But it is still possible the next Tunguska would take us by surprise, and although we are much better at finding larger asteroids that do us no good if we are not prepared to do something about them," he added.