In June 2024, NASA warned there’s a 72% likelihood an asteroid will hit Earth on July 12, 2038.
On June 24, 2024, an X account claimed NASA had warned there was a 72% likelihood an asteroid would hit Earth on July 12, 2038.
The account wrote: “Asteroid to hit earth on twelfth July 2038, Planetary protection train started as NASA issued alert for 14.25 Years; the asteroid stated to be 88 ft. airplane dimension and should have 72% likelihood that it might hit Earth!”
Similar posts appeared elsewhere on X in June 2024, whereas the claim additionally cropped up in numerous Fb posts.
One Facebook user requested if it was true NASA had made such an ominous prediction, whereas a Reddit user questioned whether or not the “asteroid anticipated to hit Earth [will] trigger international extinction.”
Collectively, the posts had amassed greater than 357,000 interactions on the time of this writing.
Nevertheless, the posts had been a misinterpretation of NASA’s biennial Planetary Protection Interagency Tabletop Train — the fifth of its variety — the aim of which is to evaluate the USA’ skill to take care of doubtlessly harmful asteroid or comet impacts, which is why now we have rated this declare as “False.”
In a June 20, 2024, news release, the federal government company stated there are no recognized vital asteroid threats to Earth within the foreseeable future:
NASA’s Planetary Protection Coordination Workplace, in partnership with FEMA (Federal Emergency Administration Company) and with the help of the U.S. Division of State Workplace of Area Affairs, convened the tabletop train to tell and assess our skill as a nation to reply successfully to the specter of a doubtlessly hazardous asteroid or comet.
Though there aren’t any recognized vital asteroid affect threats for the foreseeable future, hypothetical workouts present precious insights by exploring the dangers, response choices, and alternatives for collaboration posed by various situations, from minor regional injury with little warning to potential international catastrophes predicted years and even many years sooner or later.
The hypothetical train was managed by NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO), which had carried out 4 comparable theoretical drills up to now.
Individuals concerned appeared into potential national and global responses in case a “never-before-detected asteroid was recognized that had, based on preliminary calculations, a 72 % likelihood of hitting Earth in roughly 14 years.”
NASA stated it’ll publish “a whole after-action report for the tabletop train” at a later date, which can embrace the strengths and weaknesses of doable responses.
On June 20, an X user requested NASA’s official account how a lot time humanity has till an asteroid hits Earth.
The NASA account replied: “There aren’t any recognized vital asteroid affect threats for the foreseeable future. This tabletop train is held about each two years, to assist NASA’s planetary protection technique.”
NASA instructed its followers not to worry concerning the train elsewhere on X on June 20.
Likewise, on June 30, the company’s X account again said “no recognized asteroids pose a risk to Earth.”
NASA’s interactive Eyes on Asteroids software reveals the anticipated paths of asteroids and planets for the subsequent decade.
