The risk of a giant asteroid colliding with Earth has dropped recently. NASA now says Asteroid 2024 YR4 has only a 1.5% chance of hitting us. This is down from 2.6% last reported and higher than the initial 1% chance noted earlier this year. Despite the declining odds, space agencies are preparing just in case.
Experts are not overly worried, but they are planning ahead. A project manager at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center mentioned, “We know we have enough time to act, but now’s the time to start planning.” The asteroid is about the size of a wide building, measuring between 130 and 300 feet across.
If it were to strike Earth in December 2032, scientists warn it could endanger around 110 million people. It would arrive at a staggering speed of about 38,000 miles per hour, likely hitting the eastern Pacific Ocean, parts of South America, or other areas across the globe.
As astronomers get better data on its orbit, the chances of an impact may continue to decrease. NASA plans to use the Webb Space Telescope to observe this asteroid in March before it goes out of sight until 2028. Currently, it ranks as a Level 3 on the asteroid hazard scale, meaning it could cause “localized destruction” if it were to collide with Earth.
Interestingly, the alert level for Asteroid 2024 YR4 is the second highest since 2004, when another asteroid, Apophis, was at Level 4. However, researchers later confirmed that Apophis would pass Earth safely in 2029.
