NASA has increased the probability that the "city killer" asteroid 2024 YR4 will hit Earth on December 22, 2032, to 3,1 percent.
The current 1 in 32 chance is a significant increase from the previous estimate of 2,8 percent.
The odds have hovered around two percent in recent weeks amid daily updates from NASA.
The asteroid is large enough to cause localized damage in the "unlikely event" that it hits Earth, according to the US space agency.
It exceeded the one percent probability threshold for notifying government agencies involved in planetary defense, as well as the Space Mission Planning Advisory Group and the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, N1 reports.
2024 YR4 is estimated to be 40 to 90 meters wide.
It was first discovered by a NASA-funded telescope in Chile on December 27th of last year.
It has since gained international attention as scientists continue to study its chances of impact, although the odds of it missing Earth entirely remain high.
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