Scientists Warn of Potential Danger from Asteroid 2024 YR4, set to Pass Close to Earth in 2032

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Scientists have issued a concerning prediction regarding Asteroid 2024 YR4, a large asteroid heading towards Earth. This asteroid, approximately the size of a large airplane, is expected to pass close to Earth in 2032. While the chances of a collision were initially considered low, the risk has now increased to more than 2%, up from 1.3%. Although there is a 98% chance that it will pass by Earth safely, calculations are still being refined, and the possibility of an impact remains under close observation.

Asteroid 2024 YR4 is estimated to be between 40 and 100 meters in diameter, and if it were to enter Earth’s atmosphere, it would be traveling at a staggering speed of 38,000 kilometers per hour. If the asteroid were to collide with Earth, it could cause massive destruction. Experts predict that it would explode in the atmosphere, releasing an amount of energy equivalent to 8 million tons of TNT—500 times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. This explosion would devastate everything within a 50-kilometer radius, with significant danger to countries such as China, Pakistan, India, and several others in Africa and South Asia.

In response to the threat, China has deployed a team of engineers to work on potential mitigation strategies. NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have also joined efforts to monitor the asteroid closely, planning to observe it with telescopes in March. In 2028, scientists will have a clearer view of the asteroid’s trajectory and can provide more accurate calculations on its potential impact.

While there is no immediate cause for panic, the increased likelihood of a collision with Earth has triggered global attention. Countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Venezuela are among those listed as potentially at risk. Scientists are now focused on understanding the asteroid’s composition, speed, and size to assess the possible damage it could cause if a collision were to occur.