According to recent calculations by NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA), the likelihood of asteroid 2024 YR hitting Earth in 2032 has increased. NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) data shows a 2.3% chance of impact, higher than the 1.3% chance reported by ESA in December.
Scientists continue to observe the asteroid's orbit to determine its exact path. They note that the asteroid, approximately 90 meters wide, resembles the one that caused the 1908 Tunguska event in Siberia, which destroyed 2,150 square kilometers of forest.
However, authorities stress that there is no need for panic. An ESA informational video explains that the likelihood of asteroid impacts can change over time, and new observations could significantly lower the risk.
NASA emphasized that similar situations in the past have led to a reduction in risk after new data was gathered. NASA researcher Molly Wasser stated, "The chance of 2024 YR impacting Earth could be reduced to zero with upcoming observations."
If the asteroid were to collide, preventive measures could be taken, as shown by NASA's DART mission in 2022, which successfully altered the orbit of an asteroid. Professor Colin Snodgrass from the University of Edinburgh noted that interventions like DART could be effective for asteroids like 2024 YR, stating, "We have this technology, and it has been tested."
