Asteroid 2024 YR4 were to enter Earth's atmosphere, astronomers predict it would likely result in an airburst rather than a direct surface impact. This means the asteroid would explode mid-air due to intense pressure and friction, similar to past events like the Tunguska event of 1908, which flattened around 2,000 square kilometers of forest in Siberia.

Asteroid 2024 YR4 were to enter Earth's atmosphere, astronomers predict it would likely result in an airburst rather than a direct surface impact. This means the asteroid would explode mid-air due to intense pressure and friction, similar to past events like the Tunguska event of 1908, which flattened around 2,000 square kilometers of forest in Siberia.

Estimated Impact Energy

The explosion could release energy equivalent to 8 million tons (8 megatons) of TNT.

This is roughly 500 times more powerful than the Hiroshima atomic bomb.

The blast radius could cause severe destruction within a 50-kilometer range, depending on the location of impact.

Potential Consequences

Urban areas: If it exploded over a city, it could cause massive damage to infrastructure, break windows for hundreds of kilometers, and potentially lead to numerous casualties.

Ocean impact: A detonation over water could generate large waves or localized tsunamis, affecting coastal regions.

Remote areas: If it exploded over an unpopulated region, the damage might be minimal, though it could still release significant atmospheric energy and shock waves.

Lessons from Past Events

Chelyabinsk meteor (2013): A much smaller meteor (~20 meters) exploded over Russia, releasing energy comparable to 500,000 tons of TNT and injuring over 1,500 people due to shattered glass.

Tunguska event (1908): Estimated at 10-15 megatons of TNT, this airburst flattened trees over a vast area, but no direct human casualties were recorded due to the remote location.

Mitigation Efforts

NASA and other space agencies actively track near-Earth objects (NEOs) and develop planetary defense strategies, including deflection missions like DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test).

International efforts are in place to improve early warning systems, which could help mitigate potential impact damage through evacuations or preparedness measures.

While the probability of 2024 YR4 impacting Earth is low, its potential energy release underscores the importance of continued asteroid monitoring and planetary defense initiatives.