A newly discovered asteroid, designated 2024 YR4, has a tiny chance of hitting Earth in 2032, according to NASA officials. The near-Earth asteroid is estimated to be 130-330 feet across and currently heading away from the planet. Scientists are monitoring its path closely, with a 99% chance it will miss.
Despite the low odds, experts consider the discovery significant due to the potential damage an asteroid of this size could cause – potentially severe every few thousand years. NASA is keeping a close eye on the asteroid until it fades from view in a few months, when some of the world’s most powerful telescopes will continue to monitor its path.
The asteroid passed within 500,000 miles of Earth earlier, and scientists are reviewing old sky surveys to determine whether this asteroid also posed a threat. If detected in these images, the risk of impact would be clearer. However, with no current detection, the risk will increase as more observations are added.
Source: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/newly-spotted-asteroid_n_67a21068e4b0cf0f0a35e5ff