A recent study proposed the option of destroying the asteroid 2024 YR4 with nuclear weapons to prevent a possible impact with the Moon in 2032. The research, published in Arxiv, sparked controversy among astronomers due to the magnitude of the proposal.
The asteroid, nicknamed "city killer", measures about 180 feet (55 meters) and was discovered in December 2024. Although the risk of colliding with Earth has been reduced to less than 0.28%, the probability of a lunar impact is around 4%.
Potential consequences of a lunar impact
A collision of this nature would raise a large amount of lunar ejecta. Dust and small rocks in Earth's orbit would increase up to 1,000 times above normal levels. This could put astronauts, satellites, and the International Space Station at risk, the researchers warned.
