Science Quickly
An Asteroid May Hit Earth in 2032. What Can We Do about It?
Feb 12, 2025
Lee Billings, Senior space and physics editor at Scientific American, discusses the alarming news about asteroid 2024 YR4, which has a 2% chance of hitting Earth in 2032. He outlines how astronomers monitor such celestial bodies and the technological strategies needed for risk mitigation, including kinetic impactors and nuclear methods. Billings emphasizes the importance of international collaboration in addressing this cosmic threat and describes both best and worst-case scenarios in the event of an impact.
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Quick takeaways
- The asteroid 2024 YR4 has a 2 percent chance of collision with Earth in 2032, prompting urgent monitoring and preparedness plans.
- International cooperation is vital for proactive measures against potential asteroid threats, including developing plans for deflection or impact mitigation.
Deep dives
The Asteroid 2024 YR4: A Significant Discovery
An asteroid named 2024 YR4 has been making headlines due to its calculated chance of colliding with Earth, currently estimated at about 2%. This asteroid, detected by the Asteroid Terrestrial Impact Last Alert System, was found in late December 2023 and is projected to make a notably close pass on December 22, 2032. The attention is largely due to its risk threshold; any asteroid with a greater than 1% chance of impact is considered noteworthy. Such a level of risk is rare and adds urgency to monitoring its trajectory.
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