April 8, 2025

Nuzhat Hossein

10th Grade

Thomas A. Edison CTE High School

Asteroids have hit Earth many times before; one of the most famous ones was about 66 million years ago when it crashed into what is now Mexico. This event, called the Chicxulub impact, is believed to be what wiped out the dinosaurs. More recently, in 1908, an asteroid exploded over Siberia in what’s known as the Tunguska event. It flattened over 800 square miles of forest!

If a big asteroid hit Earth today, then the impacts would be disastrous. It could cause massive explosions, tsunamis, and even climate change. However, NASA and other space agencies are working on a way to stop this from happening. In 2020, NASA ran a test called the Double Asteroid Redirection Test. They crashed a spacecraft into an asteroid to change its direction. This test was a huge success and showed that they could avoid future hits. 

As of right now, NASA and many other scientists are watching thousands of near-Earth objects (NEOs) to make sure none of them are potentially dangerous. Some asteroids come closer to Earth than others, but at the moment, none are seen close enough to hit. As technology improves, scientists are getting much better at detecting and tracking these rocks and figuring out more information.

Asteroids have hit Earth in the past, but scientists say there is no immediate danger of one hitting us soon. New space research allows us to be more prepared than ever and take action. So, while asteroids are definitely something to keep an eye on, there’s no need to panic!