Global Scans · Asteroid · Weekly Summary

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A global catastrophic risk is a hypothetical future event that has the potential to damage human well-being on a global scale. Some events could cripple or destroy modern civilization. Any event that could cause human extinction is known as an existential risk.

• [New] The NEO Surveyor, set to launch in 2027, is the first spacecraft specifically designed to find large asteroids and comets that could harm Earth. Yahoo News
• [New] NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies, in collaboration with global observatories like Pan-STARRS, the Catalina Sky Survey, and NEOWISE, constantly monitors asteroids to assess potential threats. Times Now
• [New] As space exploration advances, asteroid mining could provide materials for space-based manufacturing, reducing reliance on Earth's resources. Adler & Associates Entertainment, Inc.
• Earth-based asteroid defence involves developing methods to detect and deflect asteroids that pose a threat to Earth. Blogger
• Using advanced tracking systems like NASA's Goldstone Radar, scientists can predict an asteroid's trajectory with high precision, ensuring early detection of potential threats. Times Now
• A large asteroid is hurtling through space with the planet Earth in its crosshairs for a potential impact in 2032. Emporia Gazette
• Scientists are currently studying asteroids in our solar system to understand their potential to collide with Earth and what risks they pose on impact. Los Angeles Times
• To date, most of the large asteroids capable of causing catastrophic damage to Earth have been discovered, and they have been shown to not pose a threat. Los Angeles Times
• Asteroids larger than 50 meters pass near Earth roughly every few years, but most do not pose an impact threat. GeekSided
• NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies, in collaboration with global observatories like Pan-STARRS, the Catalina Sky Survey, and NEOWISE, continuously monitors asteroids to assess potential risks. Times Now
• The threat of a newly discovered asteroid has risen slightly in the past few weeks, as the world's telescopes rush to track its course. WKMG News 6 & ClickOrlando
• UN planetary defence organizations are closely monitoring an asteroid that has a tiny risk of hitting the Earth. BBC News
• The European Space Agency has revealed it is closely monitoring an asteroid the size of a football pitch that could hit the Earth in a little over seven years. SKY
• Space agencies like NASA and ESA are actively engaged in tracking near-Earth objects, including asteroids and comets, that could potentially pose a threat to Earth. The Environmental Literacy Council
• While some fueled unnecessary anxiety about the potential risks of asteroid impacts, scientific communities and NASA worked diligently to assure that the measures in place, such as comprehensive tracking systems, are robust and effective. OpenTools
• Space agencies take the threat of planet killer asteroids very seriously and are currently testing various planetary defence plans. Live Science
• Space Exploration: Significant strides in space exploration, including lunar habitats and asteroid mining, will open new frontiers for humanity and potentially provide new resources for Earth. Champaign Magazine
• NASA has downgraded the odds of an asteroid strike to Earth in 2032, with the risk of impact now close to zero. Manchester Evening News
• The risk of a huge asteroid hitting Earth has dropped after Nasa reported its highest-ever impact probability for an object of its size. Rutland Times
• Continued investment, collaboration, and technological advancement are essential to building a more robust and effective system to protect Earth from the potential threat of asteroid impacts. New Space Economy
• Since the Moon does not have an atmosphere like the Earth to slow down asteroids, a potential impact by the giant space rock could create a crater hundreds of meters wide, ejecting debris into space. The Independent
• The 600 meteorites that struck Sudan, known as Almahata Sitta, marked the first time scientists successfully predicted an asteroid impact before it entered Earth's atmosphere, though they were slightly off in pinpointing the final impact site. The New Arab
• Musk has repeatedly emphasized the need for a backup plan for humanity, pointing to the potential threats facing Earth, such as asteroid impacts, nuclear war, and climate change. Pressfarm

Last updated: 26 March 2025