NASA has detected an asteroid named 2024 YR4, which has a 1-in-83 chance of hitting Earth in 2032.
At 180 feet (55 meters) across, it’s too small to cause a global catastrophe but could destroy a major city, releasing 8 megatons of energy—over 500 times the power of the Hiroshima bomb.
While the asteroid is currently moving away, it will have several close passes with Earth over the next 50 years, with the highest impact risk in December 2032, Live Science has reported.
Though the threat is considered low, it’s being closely monitored, and ongoing efforts to develop asteroid redirection technologies continue.
Written by B.C. Begley
