Bennu’s highly unlikely impact with Earth—which could happen in 157 years—could cause a global winter and drought, modeling suggests.

Near-Earth asteroid Bennu has a slim chance of colliding with Earth in 2182. If it does, the impact could trigger a global winter that affects our planet for years.

A recently released animation shows a new look at a large asteroid that has a small, but significant chance of impacting planet Earth in 7 years. The animation, provided by the NASA-funded Asteroid Terrestrial Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS),

Although the chances of impact are slim, Bennu is still one of the most potentially hazardous known asteroids in our solar system, and we need to be prepared for what could come. A first-of-its-kind study simulated the planet-wide damage that would be caused by Bennu’s unlikely impact,

"An asteroid this size impacts Earth on average every few thousand years and could cause severe damage to a local region," the European Space Agency said.

Experts are tracking asteroid 2024 YR4, which has a 1.2% chance of impacting Earth in 2032. Observations continue to refine its path.

NASA is tracking asteroid 2024 YR4, which has a 1.9% chance of impacting Earth in 2032. While its size and proximity warrant attention, experts stress there’s no immediate threat. Ongoing observations will refine predictions,

It's actually good news that NASA spotted a sizable asteroid with a (small) chance of hitting Earth in 2032. It means our asteroid-sleuthing telescopes are working.

A dive into probabilities, asteroid impact modeling, and what sort of damage an approximately 180-foot asteroid could cause on Earth.

NASA estimated probability that an asteroid could collide with Earth in 2032 was raised from 1.6% to 1.9%, with the news pulling some dark humor into its orbit.