This giant asteroid might wipe out a city in 2032, NASA warns

NASA has discovered an asteroid named 2024 YR4 that has a small chance of hitting Earth on December 22, 2032. The asteroid is about 130 to 300 feet wide and could cause massive destruction if it crashes into a city. However, experts say it is not big enough to wipe out life on Earth.

Scientists estimate that the asteroid has a 1-in-83 chance of impact, meaning there is a 99% chance it will miss Earth. If it does hit, it could release energy equal to 8 megatons of TNT, which is over 500 times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

The asteroid was first spotted on December 27, 2024, by a NASA-funded observatory in Chile. It was later added to NASA’s risk list on December 31. However, many asteroids that were once considered dangerous have later been ruled out after further tracking.

NASA will continue to monitor 2024 YR4 to see if the risk changes. While the chances of impact are low, the discovery reminds us why asteroid tracking and planetary defence systems are important.