Asteroid Headed for Earth in 2880 Is Really Just a Clump of Rubble

An asteroid on NASA's list of potential impact threats to the Earth is actually a pile of loosely connected rubble held together by forces weaker than the weight of a penny, scientists say.

The discovery could be vital if humanity ever has to destroy a giant space rock before it hits Earth, researchers added.

Astronomers investigated near-Earth asteroid 1950 DA, which is about four-fifths of a mile wide (1.3 kilometers). This asteroid currently has one of the greatest chances of colliding with Earth of any known asteroid, with about a 1 in 4,000 chance of impacting the Earth in the year 2880. Read more...

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