Massive asteroid has 1 in 43 chance of hitting Earth

The odds of a massive asteroid now hurtling through space hitting Earth are small, but they went up this week, media reported Thursday.

The so-called 2024 YR asteroid, about the size of a football field, was given a 2.3% or 1 in 43 chance of hitting Earth in 2032 by NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies. Barely a week ago, the European Space Agency gave it a 1.3% chance of hitting the planet on Dec. 22 that year, when it will make its closest approach to the Earth.

While the asteroid is much smaller than the one scientists say wiped out the dinosaurs, 2024 YR still would pack a powerful punch.

If it were to enter Earth's atmosphere and explode as an airburst, the energy released would be equivalent to roughly eight megatons of TNT -- more than 500 times the power of the Hiroshima bomb.

“Asteroid impacts have taken place many times in Earth's history,” the BBC said.

“Our early human ancestors may have experienced some of these planet-shifting events before with potential impacts on human evolution and even our own genetic makeup,” Dr. Lan Dai told the BBC.