Asteroid 2024 YR4 poses a growing threat to Earth with 1.6% collision chance

In January 2025, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory presented new calculations revealing a 1.6% chance that asteroid 2024 YR4 may strike Earth on December 22, 2032. This asteroid is nearly the size of a football field and has been classified as a 'city killer', indicating that its impact could cause significant devastation to urban areas. The European Space Agency noted that such asteroids typically impact Earth every few thousand years, leading to severe damage in local regions. The International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) issued a memo advising scientists and the public to closely monitor this asteroid as its potential threat level escalated. 2024 YR4 follows a highly elliptical four-year orbit, passing through the inner planets and surveying areas including the eastern Pacific Ocean, northern South America, and significant parts of Africa. Scientists are closely monitoring the situation, and while the odds of the asteroid hitting Earth remain low, experts express confidence that ongoing observations may eventually reduce this probability to zero, ensuring there is ample time to prepare if necessary. Historically, significant asteroid impacts have led to catastrophic outcomes, such as the mass extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs, which underscores the importance of vigilance in planetary defense efforts. Experts emphasize a proactive approach by gathering observational assets as they assess the potential trajectory and impact risk of this asteroid.