Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 04:17am on 12 Feb 2025,Wednesday Science
NASA has activated emergency measures as asteroid 2024 YRF’s chance of hitting Earth on December 22, 2032, rises to 2.3%. Estimated between 40-90 meters wide, the asteroid could unleash energy equivalent to 15 megatons of TNT. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will conduct observations in March and May to refine its trajectory and impact risk. The International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) warns of “severe blast damage” in a potential collision. Scientists are assessing planetary defense options, including deflection strategies. The asteroid was first spotted by NASA’s ATLAS station in Chile last December.
