Bennu is a relatively small near-Earth asteroid that makes a close pass to Earth every six years or so.
An impact from Bennu would be very destructive, but Earth has seen worse.
Medium-sized asteroids like Bennu are more common in the solar system.
An illustration of asteroid Bennu.NASA/JPL-Caltech
(A different teamposited a similar scenariofor the aftermath of the Chicxulub asteroid impact that doomed the dinosaurs.)
This would likely cause massive disruptions in global food security.
Its not all bad news, though.
A graphic showing the damage caused by asteroids of different sizes. Graphic: NASA
We were able to track this unexpected response to the iron concentration in the dust, Timmermann said.
And besides, there are more immediate fish to fry.
The recently discoveredasteroid 2024 YR4has a 1.9% chance (1-in-53 odds) of impacting Earth in 2032.
Ejecta streaming from Dimorphos about a day after the DART impact. Image: NASA, ESA, STScI, J. Li (PSI)
News from the future, delivered to your present.
As for the Moon, not so much.
