CAMBRIDGE, Mass.–Astronomers led by an MIT professor have revised the scale used to assess the threat of asteroids and comets colliding with Earth to better communicate those risks with the public.

Whew. Earth has dodged an asteroid scare. Asteroid 2024 YR4 was looming large in humanity’s vision. At one point, it was calculated to have a roughly 3.1% chance of impacting Earth on Dec. 22, 2032.

Asteroid 2024 YR4, measuring approximately 40 to 100 meters wide, will pass very close to Earth in December 2032—and might even strike the planet. Because of its size, speed, and the possibility of it ...

A near-Earth asteroid as wide as the Statue of Liberty is tall has been discovered that could strike Earth in 2032. It’s triggered a rare warning by the International Asteroid Warning Network, which ...

One of the hardest things to calculate for an asteroid is its mass—but it is such a critical feature. It determines how much of an impact it would have if it hits something, or how many resources are ...

At this point in history, astronomers and engineers who grew up watching "Deep Impact" and "Armageddon," two movies about the destructive power of asteroid impacts, are likely in relatively high ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. An award-winning reporter writing about stargazing and the night sky. Precisely four years from today — on Friday, April 13, 2029 ...

Last week, NASA reported that a newly identified asteroid has a more than 1 percent chance of striking Earth in December 2032, per a statement released by the agency. Now, astronomers have bumped up ...

Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. NASA estimates that ...

James is a published author with multiple pop-history and science books to his name. He specializes in history, space, strange science, and anything out of the ordinary.View full profile James is a ...