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The Odds of a City-Killing Asteroid Hitting Earth Keep Rising


Published on 2025-02-20 18:22:28 - Wired
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  • The likelihood of 2024 YR4 colliding with the our planet in 2032 have ticked up to over 3 percent. Is it time to start worrying?

The article from WIRED discusses the increasing probability of an asteroid named 2023 DW impacting Earth on February 14, 2032. Initially, when discovered, the odds of an impact were minuscule, but they have since risen to about 1 in 625, making it the asteroid with the highest known chance of hitting Earth in the near future. Despite this, the risk remains relatively low, and the asteroid, estimated to be between 49 and 111 meters in diameter, would likely not cause global catastrophe but could result in significant local damage if it were to strike a populated area. The article explains the ongoing efforts to track and assess such threats, with organizations like NASA and the European Space Agency monitoring these celestial objects. It also touches on the psychological and societal reactions to such news, suggesting that while there's no immediate cause for panic, the event underscores the importance of planetary defense strategies and the need for continued vigilance and research into asteroid deflection technologies.

Read the Full Wired Article at:
[ https://www.wired.com/story/the-odds-of-a-city-killer-asteroid-impact-in-2032-keep-rising-should-we-be-worried/ ]
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