Astronomers discover 196-foot asteroid with 1-in-83 chance of hitting Earth in 2032

[nitpicked]

https://www.space.com/180-foot-asteroid-1-in-83-chance-hitting-Earth-2032

A newly discovered asteroid, designated 2024 YR4, has a 1-in-83 chance of striking Earth in December of 2032. The asteroid is estimated to be 196 feet (60 meters) wide, and it is currently 27 million miles away.

The near-Earth object (NEO) discovered in 2024, which is around half as wide as a football field is long, will make a very close approach to Earth on Dec. 22, 2032. It's estimated to come within around 66,000 miles (106,200 kilometers) of Earth on that day, according to NASA's Center of NEO Studies (CNEOS). However, when orbital uncertainties are considered, that close approach could turn out to be a direct hit on our planet.

Such an impact could cause an explosion in the atmosphere, called an "airburst," or could cause an impact crater when it slams into the ground.

This is enough to see asteroid 2024 YR4 leap to the top of the European Space Agency's NEO impact Risk List and NASA's Sentry Risk Table.
(snip)

[Moostache]

1. "Don't Look Up"... prophetic film-making?

Sort of like "Idiocracy".

At this point, I have doubts that we make it to 2028 without losing the union and the Constitution, so 2032 is beyond my event horizon presently...

[underpants]

2. Don't look up

[jls4561]

3. I hope the Jewish Space Lasers will direct it to whatever golf course Drumph is playing at the time.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

4. 1 in 83 is just over a one percent chance.

I'm not going to worry.

[points]

6. Lots of folks buy lottery tickets

With a significantly lower chance of winning than one percent.
One percent is damn high when the stakes are so high.

This said, worrying definitely won't change the trajectory, unless you can influence NASA

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

7. Right. And the lottery ticket buyers are idiots

who don't understand odds.

Every so often astronomers (including My Son The Astronomer) point out that the chances of something of significant size hitting Earth is incredibly small.

[yaesu]

5. well, if tRump is still dictatoring I guess it will put US out of our misery. nt

[Foolacious]

8. Significant digits!

An example of my significant digits pet-peeve: Converting an estimate of 60 meters into a precise 196 feet.

[eppur_se_muova]

9. Like converting 37. Celsius to 98.6 Fahrenheit ...

now just about every American thinks there's really something wrong if you're not right at 98.6 -- it actually varies a fair amount.