Astronomers using data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have discovered dozens of tiny asteroids, including the smallest ever observed in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

These asteroids, often just tens of meters wide, are more likely to migrate toward Earth and cause significant damage, such as the impact events in Chelyabinsk or Tunguska.

The team, led by MIT’s Artem Burdanov, spotted a 33-foot-wide asteroid, breaking the previous size detection record.

This breakthrough allows for better tracking of small asteroids, crucial for planetary defense, Space.com has reported.

The results were published in Nature.

Written by B.C. Begley