A Decade of Planetary Defense: Gains Made, But More Skywatching Is Needed
International Asteroid Day marks 10 years of progress in defending Earth from space rocks, with nearly 40,000 near-Earth objects identified and NASA's DART mission proving a redirect of an asteroid is possible. Yet experts warn we still lack enough telescopes to spot all threats; the upcoming Near-Earth Object Surveyor aims to detect two-thirds of potentially hazardous asteroids, as events like the 2029 Apophis close approach highlight the ongoing need for vigilant skywatching.