Scientists say the threat of a newly discovered asteroid has risen slightly in the past few weeks, as the world’s telescopes rush to track its course. But the chance is still quite slim — a mere 2% — that the space rock will smack Earth in 2032. They say the odds of a strike will almost certainly continue to go up and down as the asteroid’s path around the sun is better understood, and will likely fall to zero. Discovered in December, the near-Earth asteroid known as 2024 YR4 is estimated to be 130 feet to 300 feet across. Scientists say the threat of a newly discovered asteroid has risen slightly in the past few weeks, as the world’s telescopes rush to track its course. But the chance is still quite slim — a mere 2% — that the space rock will smack Earth in 2032. They say the odds of a strike will almost certainly continue to go up and down as the asteroid’s path around the sun is better understood, and will likely fall to zero. Discovered in December, the near-Earth asteroid known as 2024 YR4 is estimated to be 130 feet to 300 feet across. AP Technology and Science
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