https://www.livescience.com/space/asteroids/we-could-nuke-city-killer-asteroid-2...We could nuke 'city killer' asteroid 2024 YR4 before it hits the moon —
if we act fast, new study warns
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By Elizabeth Howell published September 24, 2025
The potential 'city killer' asteroid 2024 YR4 has a small chance of hitting the moon in 2032.
In a new paper, scientists probe the logistics of destroying it —
possibly with nuclear weapons — before it comes too close.
The potential 'city killer' asteroid 2024 YR4 will not hit Earth when it flies by in 2032, but there's a small chance it will collide with our moon. A new study looks into the options for deflecting, or destroying it. (Image credit: Erik Simonsen via Getty Images)
Scientists are considering the possibility of launching a nuclear weapon at an asteroid that could potentially hit the moon in 2032 — but they say more research is needed before taking this forward as an option.
The investigation concerns asteroid 2024 YR4, which reached notoriety shortly after its discovery in December 2024 when scientists (working with limited observations) revealed it had a relatively high chance of impacting Earth in 2032, peaking at 3.1%.
This got media attention as the 180-foot (55 meters) asteroid is large enough to wipe out a city. However, the odds of disaster quickly dropped when subsequent observations showed the asteroid was very unlikely to come near Earth. Its impact probability fell to less than 1 in 360 (0.28%) as of February 2025.
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