NASA scientists are warning that a “city-killer” asteroid could strike Earth on December 2, 2032.
The asteroid, named 2024 YR4, is the size of the Statue of Liberty and carries the explosive force of multiple nuclear bombs.
With the probability of impact rising, a newly released interactive map now shows exactly how devastating it would be if it collided with a major city, turning speculation into a terrifyingly real possibility.
Astronomers first spotted 2024 YR4 in December 2023 using NASA-funded telescopes in Chile. At the time, its chance of colliding with Earth was calculated at a modest 1.2%—nothing too alarming.
However, as scientists refined their data, that probability doubled to 2.3%, meaning there is now a one in 43 chance that this asteroid could strike Earth. This may not sound like much, but in the world of asteroid tracking, it’s a significant leap.
What Happens If It Hits? The Devastating Impact of an Asteroid Strike
Scientists have used nuclear explosion models to estimate the damage a collision would cause. If 2024 YR4 were to strike a city, the blast would be equivalent to 15 megatons of TNT, making it 100 times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb. The destruction would be immense. Buildings would be obliterated within a 5.7 km radius, with severe damage stretching as far as 8.8 km.
