Earth's Close Encounters: NASA Reveals Astonishingly Near Misses with Asteroids

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Source: Mint
Earth's Close Encounters: NASA Reveals Astonishingly Near Misses with Asteroids
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TL;DR

NASA has revealed that over 100 "known near-Earth asteroids" passed closer to Earth than the Moon in the past year, with 13 flying past in November alone. In total, 2,818 near-Earth asteroids were discovered in 2023, bringing the total number discovered by NASA to 33,884. The article also highlights five dangerous asteroids on NASA's list, including Bennu, which has a 1 in 2,700 chance of impacting Earth in 2182. Additionally, it mentions several near-Earth asteroids that passed by Earth in 2023, including one the size of Vatican City and another the size of the Burj Khalifa. While most near-Earth asteroids pose no risk of impact, a small fraction, known as potentially hazardous asteroids, require more attention.

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