NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) is dedicated to monitoring potential asteroids that could collide with Earth in the future. One such asteroid, Bennu, was discovered in September 1999 and is currently considered the most likely to impact the planet. Scientists estimate that Bennu had a 0.037% chance of crashing into Earth on September 24, 2182.
To prepare for this scenario, extensive research is being conducted on Bennu, and in 2023, the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft brought back a sample from the asteroid. Initial analysis suggests that Bennu contains important components for life, such as amino acids and water-bearing minerals. The impact of Bennu on Earth could release an immense amount of energy, equivalent to 1.4 billion tons of TNT.
Another asteroid of concern is 29075 (1950 DA), which was discovered in February 1950 and rediscovered 50 years later. This asteroid has a 0.0029% chance of colliding with Earth on March 16, 2880, and if it were to hit, it could release energy equivalent to 75 billion tons of TNT, posing a global threat.
A newly discovered asteroid, 2023 TL4, has also been identified as a potential risk to Earth. With a chance of 0.00055%, or 1 in 181,
