A large asteroid has caught the attention of scientists, and they are closely tracking its path. Asteroid 2024 YR4 has a chance of hitting Earth, and experts are now studying what could happen if it does. The latest predictions suggest it might reach us within the next decade.
Space threats are often discussed, but this one is more concerning than usual. If this asteroid collides with Earth, the impact could be serious and cause major destruction.
2024 YR4 is about the same size as the Statue of Liberty. That makes it much larger than common space debris. If it crashes into Earth, the results could be devastating.
Scientists first detected this asteroid in December, and since then, they have been calculating its movement. However, some experts warn that trying to change its course could be risky. Dr. Robin George Andrews explains that using rockets to push it away might not work and could even make things worse.
He mentioned NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), which was designed to see if hitting an asteroid with a spacecraft could change its path. While DART worked, that doesn’t mean every asteroid can be redirected the same way.
The asteroid will pass near Earth again in 2028. Experts say that even if we try to move it, there’s a risk that it might still hit Earth, just in a different place.
NASA engineer David Rankin has mapped out a possible impact zone, showing areas at risk. The asteroid could hit parts of South America, the Pacific Ocean, Asia, the Arabian Sea, or Africa. Countries like India, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Venezuela could be affected.
If 2024 YR4 enters Earth’s atmosphere, it might explode in the air with a force equal to 8 million tons of TNT. The shockwave could cause damage across a 50-kilometer area.
NASA has assigned astronomers to study the asteroid using the James Webb Space Telescope. Their findings will help determine its exact size and what kind of impact it could have.
Currently, NASA estimates a one-in-43 chance of impact in 2032. If that happens, the damage could be significant.