An asteroid called YR4 now has a 3.1 percent probability of colliding with Earth on December 22, 2032, according to data from the US space agency NASA, which was released on Tuesday.
A week ago, NASA calculated the probability to 2.3 percent, and in January, the European space organization ESA stated it was 1.2 percent.
The asteroid, estimated to be 40 to 100 meters wide, was first discovered on December 27 last year.
Despite the increased risk, experts believe there is no reason to worry. According to Bruce Bretts, chief researcher at the non-profit organization Planetary Society, the probability may increase as more data is collected – only to then drastically drop to zero percent.
What is happening, however, is "a very, very rare event", says Richard Moissl at ESA. ESA, on the other hand, calculates a slightly lower risk than NASA: 2.8 percent.
This is not a crisis right now. This is not a dinosaur killer. This is not a planet killer. This is at most dangerous for a city, he tells AFP.
