Why Haven't Meteoroids Killed Us All?

If space is full of rocks and other debris, why aren't they colliding with us all the time? How does our atmosphere protect us?

What Happens When A Meteor Strikes Earth? http://bit.ly/1p8HV3r
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Read More:
How High Up Are Meteors When They Begin to Glow?
http://earthsky.org/space/at-what-altitude-do-meteors-become-incandescent
"Meteors are usually dust particles left behind by comets - bits of debris that enter Earth's atmosphere from space. At what altitude do these meteors - sometimes called 'shooting stars' or 'falling stars' - become incandescent and begin to glow? That can vary."

Near Earth Object Program
http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/faq/
"The purpose of the Near-Earth Object Program is to coordinate NASA-sponsored efforts to detect, track and characterize potentially hazardous asteroids and comets that could approach the Earth. With over 90% of the near-Earth objects larger than one kilometer already discovered, the NEO Program is now focusing on finding 90% of the NEO population larger than 140 meters."

Large-ish Meteor Hits Earth... But No One Notices
http://news.discovery.com/space/asteroids-meteors-meteorites/large-ish-meteor-hits-earth-but-no-one-noticed-160223.htm
""If a space rock hits the atmosphere, and no one is around to hear it, does the tabloid press still report it as an Earth-shattering event? Of course! This pretty much summarizes a large-ish meteor impact over the South Atlantic Ocean, which occurred on Feb. 6, and was recorded by the Fireball and Bolide Reports page of NASA's Near Earth Object Program."

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