Scientists have identified a potentially dangerous asteroid named 2024 YR4, which has a 2.3% chance of striking Earth on December 22, 2032. The asteroid, discovered in December 2024, measures between 130 and 300 feet in diameter, making it larger than the Statue of Liberty. If it impacts Earth, it could cause significant damage to a populated area, releasing energy equivalent to more than 500 times that of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
The asteroid's potential impact has been rated Level 3 on the Torino Impact Hazard Scale, indicating that public attention is warranted.
Asteroid hunter David Rankin, an engineer with Catalina Sky Survey Project, told Space.com that early predictions indicate that if the asteroid was to strike Earth, it could hit anywhere in a corridor stretching from northern South America across the Atlantic Ocean to sub-Saharan Africa. The southern tip of India and parts of China are also in the risk corridor, which Rankin said could change as scientists learn more about the asteroid and its trajectory.
NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission demonstrated the possibility of altering an asteroid's path by crashing a spacecraft into it. However, Dr. Andrews cautioned that using similar methods on 2024 YR4 might not be feasible, as "so much could go wrong."
While the asteroid is currently moving away from Earth, it will have several close approaches in the coming decades, with the highest chance of impact in 2032. Scientists will continue to monitor 2024 YR4's trajectory to refine impact predictions and assess potential mitigation strategies.