1.3% Chance Asteroid will hit Earth!

Asteroid 2024 YR4 has been spotted and there is the chance that it will hit the Earth. If it hits us it would cause “localised destruction”, which means it would cause massive damage in a small area. It is too small to destroy all of civlisation.

Scientists will continue to observe the asteroid. 2004 YR4 is around 100m wide. For comparison, the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs was around 10-15 km wide. So, this asteroid is much smaller.

100m wide asteroids hit the Earth, on average, every few thousand years. So, they are not common. Also, the asteroid is currently moving away from us in a straight line. It is expected to come back into view in 2028.

If it is thought to be a threat then plans would be made to protect the Earth. NASA tested a method to deflect asteroids called the Dart mission two years ago.

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asteroid: 小惑星

spot, spotted: を見つける、を見つけた

localised: 局所的

destruction: 破壊

massive: 大規模

civilisation: 文明、人類

continue to observe: 観測を継続

for comparison: 比較のため

on average: 平均

common: 一般的

expected: 予想