Scientists have predicted the likelihood of a doomsday if asteroid Bennu crashes on the earth in years to come. As per the latest reports, NASA predicts that Bennu, which passes Earth every 6 years, has a slim chance of collision with the Earth’s surface in the year 2182. The exact date predicted is September 24. The asteroid Bennu is half the size of the asteroid, which is said to have eliminated dinosaurs off the face of the planet. September 24 Doomsday Theory Goes Viral on TikTok After German Politician’s Ominous Statement, Know About Solar Flare ‘Expected’ To Destroy Earth.

While the possibility of its speculated crash is 1 in 2700, the space agency has to be prepared for any such situation. Bennu is an ancient relic in our solar system, and constant research is being done on the same. About 7 years ago, NASA sent a spacecraft to the asteroid to collect some matter and process it. During its Touch-and-Go (TAG) sample collection operation, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft landed on the surface of Bennu in 2020 and retrieved rocky material from a sample site. The first asteroid sample collected in space from OSIRIS-REx lands on Earth on Sunday - crashing down in Utah. The mission’s findings might not only avert a disaster but may also reveal some information about the origin of life on Earth.

According to a new paper shared by the OSIRIS-REx science team last month, there is a 1:2700 (0.037%) chance of this missile impacting Earth on September 24, 2182. “Although it is difficult to determine the odds of this actually happening, new data from NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft have allowed scientists to better model how Bennu’s orbit will evolve over time and to better calculate the probability of an impact,” NASA explains. NASA Prepares for Largest Asteroid Sample Brought to Earth.

The Bennu asteroid was discovered in the year 1999 and passes along the Earth every 6 years. It is believed to be the size of New York’s Empire State Building and has a force of 22 atomic bombs! If Bennu would hit Earth, it would release 1,200 megatons of energy, which is 24 times the energy of the most manmade nuclear weapon. 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 24, 2023 12:51 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).