“Is Earth in the Crosshairs? Scientists Unveil ‘City-Destroying’ Asteroid with a Potential Collision Course!”

Hold onto your helmets, Earthlings, because we’ve got an asteroid on our radar! Yes, that’s right—NASA’s just given a charming little rock named ‘2024 YR4’ some well-deserved attention. Discovered by an eagle-eyed telescope in Chile last month, this interstellar wanderer is estimated to range from 130 to 330 feet across, and according to the experts, it could potentially take out a city—not exactly ideal for your next vacation destination, right? Now, before you start planning an emergency bunkering party, let’s temper that panic: there’s only a 1.2 percent chance of it colliding with Earth in 2032. Paul Chodas, ice-cool director of NASA’s Near Earth Object Studies, reassures us that there’s a 99 percent chance it will miss. Phew! Still, with a potential impact area stretching from South America to sub-Saharan Africa, it’s a good reminder that the universe loves to throw surprises our way. Curious about the details? Brace yourself for a wild ride through space rocks and probability! LEARN MORE

A newly discovered asteroid has a small chance of hitting Earth in 2032, and it’s caught NASA’s ‘attention’.

The asteroid called ‘2024 YR4’ was discovered last month (27 December) by a telescope in Chile.

Detected from almost 27 million miles away, it’s estimated to be 130 to 330 feet (40 to 100 metres) across, but this prediction could change.

At the moment, that’s big enough to potentially wipe out a city, such as Kansas City, according to Mashable.

However, Paul Chodas, director of NASA’s Centre for Near Earth Object Studies, isn’t massively concerned, given the 1.2 percent probability of it colliding with Earth.

“We are not worried at all, because of this 99 percent chance it will miss,” he said. “But it deserves attention.”

David Rankin also told Space.com that ‘people should absolutely not worry about this yet’.

“Impact probability is still very low, and the most likely outcome will be a close approaching rock that misses us,” he added.

The asteroid could hit a city (Getty Stock Images)

Currently, the asteroid’s ‘risk corridor’, meaning the most likely geographical area it could impact, is from South America across the Atlantic Ocean to sub-Saharan Africa.

But Rankin notes that this area is subject to change.

“Size and composition are big players in possible damage, along with impact location,” he explained.

“It’s hard to constrain size and composition with the current orbital situation, as it’s outbound.”

The most effective way of measuring an asteroid’s size is with radar observations, but because 2024 YR4 is so far away, it’s difficult to calculate its size.

NASA has said that the newly spotted asteroid ‘deserves attention’ (Getty Stock Images)

Although by 2028, it should be close enough to detect how big or small it’s going to be.

As things stand, scientists rely on the asteroid’s absolute magnitude, or brightness, to figure out its structure.

“If the asteroid has a darker surface, that number is too small; if it has a more reflective surface, that number is too high,” Rankin added.

“If [2024 YR4] is made of stony material, it could cause a significant air burst and fireball reaching the ground.

“If made of iron, it will punch right through the atmosphere with little trouble and make an impact crater.

“This is why understanding not just the orbit but also the composition and size are so critical.”

Even though the probability is low, the potential impact could take place on 22 December 2032.

The good news, according to NASA, is that no other known large asteroids have an impact probability above one percent, for now.