Scientists Monitor Asteroid 2024 YR4 With 2% Chance of Earth Impact in 2032

The asteroid, classified as a Level 3 threat on the Torino Scale, could pose risks ranging from minimal to catastrophic depending on its size, with further observations ongoing.

Asteroid 2024 YR4, measuring an estimated 40 to 90 meters wide, has a 2% chance of colliding with Earth on December 22, 2032, according to current projections.
The asteroid is classified as a Level 3 threat on the Torino Impact Hazard Scale, indicating a close encounter that merits attention but is not an imminent global threat.
Scientists are working to refine the asteroid's size and trajectory using telescopes, including NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, before it becomes unobservable in April 2025.
Potential impact scenarios range from minor airblasts to devastating city-level destruction, depending on the asteroid's size and impact location, with affected zones spanning oceans and multiple continents.
If the risk persists, international agencies may prepare deflection strategies, including spacecraft missions or other measures, to alter the asteroid's trajectory.