Scientist Raises Alarm Over 'City-Killer' Asteroid Deflection Efforts

Leading volcanologist Dr. Robin George Andrews has cautioned that attempts to deflect the potentially dangerous asteroid 2024 YR4 may be too late, as experts evaluate current deflection methods. The asteroid, first detected in December 2024, has a 1-in-43 chance of colliding with Earth in 2032 and is considered a "city killer" due to its potential for widespread destruction, according to NASA's monitoring.

Dr. Andrews expressed skepticism regarding the efficacy of NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), which successfully altered the orbit of a smaller asteroid in 2022. He pointed out that larger asteroids like YR4 might not respond predictably to deflection efforts, potentially breaking apart and creating more hazardous fragments. He emphasized that the timeline for a successful deflection mission is challenging, noting that the asteroid could impact Earth in just eight years while deflection missions typically require more than a decade to plan and execute.

Despite the grave assessment, Dr. Andrews reassured that the asteroid will likely miss Earth but warned that any deflection attempts could aggravate the situation. NASA is currently using the James Webb Space Telescope to further study 2024 YR4 and evaluate potential impact consequences.