Imagine waking up to a world where sunlight barely breaks through a thick veil of dust, temperatures plunge, and food becomes scarce.
That’s what scientists say could happen if asteroid Bennu collides with Earth.
Although Bennu is only about 1,640 feet wide—much smaller than the dinosaur-killing asteroid—it could still pack a punch.
Asteroid Has 1 in 2,700 Chance of Hitting Us
With a 1 in 2,700 chance of hitting us in 2182, Bennu’s odds seem slim, but the potential fallout isn’t.
Using climate models and a supercomputer, researchers found that a collision could create a global “impact winter” lasting over four years.
Dr Lan Dai, the study’s lead author, said such an event could cause a 7.2°F temperature drop, slash rainfall by 15%, and deplete the ozone layer by 32%.
This would devastate ecosystems and disrupt global food security.
If Bennu struck the ocean, massive tsunamis and water vapor injections would follow, leading to widespread ozone depletion.
Dai compared the scenario to historic volcanic eruptions like Mount Toba’s, which nearly wiped out humanity 74,000 years ago.
