Amid New Year’s resolutions and dry January goals, concerns rise about the ‘lost’ asteroid, 2007 FT3, supposedly on a collision course with Earth. NASA reassures the public.
In the midst of the usual cliché New Year’s resolutions and dry January goals, a story about a ‘lost’ asteroid has been making waves. This isn’t just any asteroid; it’s supposedly on a collision course with Earth. Dubbed 2007 FT3, this 54 million-ton space rock first made an appearance in 2007 before mysteriously disappearing into the cosmic abyss.
Recent reports suggest a one in 11.5 million chance that it might collide with Earth, specifically on October 5, 2024. However, before you start preparing for an Armageddon-style scenario, NASA has addressed the situation.
According to a NASA spokesperson, “There are no known asteroid impact threats to Earth at any time in the next century. NASA and its partners diligently watch the skies to find, track, and categorize asteroids and near-Earth objects (NEOs), including those that may come close to Earth.”
NASA’s reassurance comes with a dose of perspective. While the asteroid could pack a punch with the force of 2.6 billion tons of TNT if it were to hit Earth, it is nowhere near the force that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. The larger an asteroid, the easier it is for planetary defense experts to track, and 2007 FT3 is no exception.
Despite the unsettling notion of a potential impact, the reality is less dramatic. The asteroid is just one of over 1.3 million known asteroids floating in space, remnants from the early formation of our solar system 4.6 billion years ago.
While the idea of a mystery asteroid hitting Earth may sound shocking, NASA’s continuous monitoring suggests that, for now, we are safe from any space rock-induced apocalypses. So, despite the buzz around this ‘lost’ asteroid, it seems the world can continue its New Year’s resolutions without the looming threat of cosmic catastrophe.
