A newly discovered asteroid wider than a football pitch could smash into Earth in less than a decade - and carries the highest risk of impact ever recorded by the European Space Agency. The space rock,

Researchers say there’s a 1.3 percent chance that the space rock 2024 YR4 could strike our planet — but not until December 2032.

A n asteroid discovered in 2024 has been placed at level 3 on the Torino impact scale, with a small chance of impact with Earth in 2032.

The asteroid is unlikely to be cause for concern, but its detection has triggered planetary defence response procedures for the first time

Using the ESA's measurement, asteroid 2024 YR4 may range anywhere from 200 to 500 Squishmallows, or roughly half of the size of the average child's collection.

A newly discovered asteroid has a small chance of hitting Earth in 2032, and it's caught NASA's 'attention'. The asteroid called '2024 YR4' was discovered last month (27 December) by a telescope in Chile. Detected from almost 27 million miles away, it's estimated to be 130 to 330 feet (40 to 100 metres) across, but this prediction could change.

NASA and other space agencies are tracking 2024 YR4, a near-Earth asteroid with a small chance of impacting our planet in 2032.

"Impact probability is still very low, and the most likely outcome will be a close approaching rock that misses us."

An asteroid the size of a football pitch could hit the Earth in seven years, astronomers have warned. The rocky object, measuring between 40 and 100 metres wide, was spotted on Christmas Day by a telescope in Chile and is believed to have a 1.2% chance of hitting our planet.

A newly discovered asteroid has a tiny chance of striking Earth in 2032. CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A newly discovered asteroid has a tiny chance of smacking Earth in 2032, space agency officials said Wednesday. Scientists put the odds of a strike at slightly more than 1%.

First spotted in December 2024 by a telescope in Chile, the near-Earth asteroid — designated 2024 YR4 — is estimated to be 130 to 330 feet (40 to 100 metres) across.