this post was submitted on 20 Feb 2025
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Summary

NASA has lowered the estimated risk of asteroid 2024 YR4 striking Earth in December 2032 to 1.5%, down from 3.1% a day earlier. The European Space Agency's (ESA) estimate stands at 1.38%.

The asteroid, 40-90 meters wide, could cause significant city-level destruction but not a global catastrophe.

The projected impact corridor spans the Pacific, South America, Africa, and South Asia.

NASA also estimates a 0.8% chance of the asteroid hitting the Moon.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 19 hours ago
[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 day ago (4 children)

Everyone hoping there's still a chance, you need to remember... this is only a city-killer asteroid.

We need to hope for a much bigger asteroid.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 14 hours ago

If the alien movies serve us correctly, this is luckily going to hit the USA; possibly Washington DC directly.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 19 hours ago

If it hit the middle of the ocean, it could be cool and nothing else.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 day ago

Would have been funny if it hit Buenos aires

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 day ago (4 children)

As long as it falls on the right city, it would do the entire world a massive, once in 500 years favor.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 20 hours ago (2 children)

Unfortunately North America doesn't fall under the possible impact zone

[–] [email protected] 2 points 15 hours ago

We have a few years to improve our asteroid deflection capabilities to change that

[–] [email protected] 4 points 19 hours ago

More proof that there's no god.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 day ago

There would be enough warning to get people out of the city.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 day ago

If it does, I think a bunch of new religions are going to pop up.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 day ago

Washington D.C. I hope.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The global astronomical community expects the odds of an asteroid to hit Earth in December 2032 to eventually fall to zero.

I love how they make it seem like some insider expertise versus knowing basics of how percentages work.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 19 hours ago

I mean, without knowing what the number represents, it's not obvious why it goes up and then suddenly drops like this.

They basically predict a cross-section of places it could go through, which shrinks with improved data. If the Earth is still inside, that makes it's share go up. Eventually, it hits an edge and the share drops to zero suddenly

[–] [email protected] 41 points 1 day ago (1 children)

What do we need to get this to %100?

[–] [email protected] 26 points 1 day ago (1 children)

It's probably made up of dense materials like iron. Let's pile all the earth's magnets at the White House!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago

I'll give mine, as long as someone helps with the shipping!

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 day ago

So you're telling me there's still a chance

[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (4 children)

As someone who's played MMOs, 1.5% chance is actually pretty high.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 day ago

As someone who's played XCom, a 1.5% chance of a bad thing (questionable) means it's gonna critically hit

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago

As someone who played Ragnarok Online extensively, 1.5% for a single monster kill means I will never find that item.

Not to mention cards’ .01% drop rate ugh

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Bets on it being totally ignored by the world if it turns out to be aimed at Africa?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 day ago

Africa actually does seem to be the most likely impact if it were to hit. The predicted impact would be along the equator.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Can we please not post daily updates? This is still 7 years away

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago

I am down to have monthly updates for the next few years, weekly updates through 2031, and daily updates throughout 2032

I just feel like if we do daily updates for the next 7 years when it's in all likelihood going to miss us, we'll be too complacent when an asteroid does have an impact trajectory

[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Keep looking, there's got to be something out there that can hit us!

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (4 children)

I'm not sure if you saw the recent news but we have a possible new mummy curse, never give up hope

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Reminder that the asteroid is only large enough to destroy a city and, even given the rare chance of it hitting Earth, in all likelihood would land in the ocean and cause no damage. It's not a doomsday asteroid

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 day ago (1 children)

imagine if it falls and perfectly annihilates the trump administration though

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Unfortunately, Washington is outside of the possible impact zone. (Well, Washington in Brazil is inside, but it's not about that one.)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago

DART successfully moved an astroid that was probably way bigger!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 day ago

Here you simulate some of the effects. Pretty fun to drop an asteroid on some asshat from my youth's house. Less fun when it wiped out my entire city and evaporated my parents. Welp.. can't have it all I guess. https://neal.fun/asteroid-launcher/

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 day ago

Well, that's disappointing..

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago

The way the world is going, it might not be a bad thing if it hits us.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 day ago

🙏🙏🙏

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago

There is this fun toy see/calculate the potential effect of any asteroid collision: https://neal.fun/asteroid-launcher/

If it hits any city, that is wiped out. If it hit anything else, chances are damages are moderate.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 day ago

Just give us the confidence interval and stop updating. We will know better in January 2029 once it has passed by and been tugged by our gravity and the moons.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago
[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Giant Meteor for Earth President 2032!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 day ago

Why wait? The best time would have been the dawn of civilization. The second best time is now.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 day ago

Dontgivemehope.meme

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 day ago
[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 day ago

Damn. The bugs need to up their accuracy

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago

Is this the new seven minutes to midnight? We're 1.5% to asteroid.

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