The 25 Most Dangerous Things Around Earth Right Now

Apophis, which has a diameter of about a fifth of a mile, rounds out the top three on the Palermo Scale. Soon after it was discovered in 2004, a group of astronomers gave the asteroid a 1 in 60 chance of striking Earth in May 2029 — on Friday the 13th. Subsequent data and analysis eliminated that possibility. Still, on May 13, 2029 — which will be Friday the 13th — people will be able to see the movement of a very bright asteroid, visible with the naked eye even in daylight, as Apophis passes at a distance of only 18,600 miles from Earth. This is so close that if the asteroid passes through at a slightly different angle than predicted, there will be a small possibility of a collision in 2036 or 2069.

In the four years following its discovery in 2000, SG344 was viewed as the greatest near-Earth object threat to our Earth, despite its small size of about 125 feet in diameter. Based on further study it is now considered the fourth greatest threat, with about a 1 in 417 chance of a collision with Earth between 2069 and 2113. It would leave a crater 100 feet wide.

First discovered in 2007, the asteroid FT3 was observable for barely more than a day. Based on its fairly large size, about 1,115 feet in diameter, and the lack of data on its behavior, it has been a source of unsupportable disaster predictions. Scientists have given the asteroid a high risk rating because so little is known about it, but it is believed to have passed the Earth at a distance of 86 million miles in its latest orbit.

Though there is a slight possibility of JL3 striking Earth in 2027, 2063, 2071, 2075, or 2090, placing it relatively high on the risk charts, it does not threaten serious damage because of its small size, which is about 95 feet.

JF1, a threat to Earth on NASA’s Sentry list, is expected to come close in May of 2022. However, the risk of a collision is low, with a chance of the asteroid of about 43 feet in size hitting Earth about 1 in 3,800, according to NASA.