This podcast discusses the recently discovered asteroid 2024 YR4 and the possibility of it colliding with Earth in 2032. The interview features an expert who explains the current 2% chance of impact (as of February 11th), the methods used to detect and track asteroids, and the potential responses if a collision becomes more likely. The expert details the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the asteroid's orbit and the need for potential preemptive action, such as a kinetic impactor or nuclear detonation, if the risk remains above 1%. The podcast concludes by emphasizing that the situation is fluid and more information is expected by late April/early May. The James Webb Space Telescope will be used to obtain more precise measurements of the asteroid's size and orbit in March and May.
