4 Huge asteroids could potentially hit Earth, according to a new study Credit: Getty - ContributorThe asteroids were flagged as potentially destructive by a supercomputer working together with 'neural network'.What made life difficult for Nasa was that the objects in question have a 'chaotic' orbit – making their paths tricky to track.Each of the 11 asteroids is wider than 100 metres (330 feet), which means they could cause major damage if they crashed into Earth.' For perspective, Tunguska object which flattened 2000 square kilometers of forest in Siberia was estimated to have a diameter of between 50 and 80m,' the study authors, from Leiden University, wrote. The researchers say they all 'have the potential of causing regional devastation unprecedented in human history' based on their size, if they were to impact Earth.It now means the asteroids can be reclassified as hazardous.' That these asteroids have not previously been identified as potentially dangerous is because the orbit of these asteroids is so chaotic,' Leiden University explained.' As a result, they are not noticed by the current software from space organisations, which is based on probability calculations that use expensive brute force simulations.' To identify the asteroids, a supercomputer was used to map the orbits of the Sun and its planets forward in time for 10,000 years.These orbits were then traced back in time, while asteroids were launched from the Earth's surface.During the backwards calculation, asteroids were included in simulations to study orbital distributions today.This allowed the experts to create a database of hypothetical asteroids that researchers knew would land on Earth.And these imaginary asteroids can then be linked to real asteroids we already know about.

Here's what you need to know, according to Nasa. Asteroid: An asteroid is a small rocky body that orbits the Sun.

Most are found in the asteroid belt (between Mars and Jupiter) but they can be found anywhere (including in a path that can impact Earth). Meteoroid: When two asteroids hit each other, the small chunks that break off are called meteoroids. Meteor: If a meteoroid enters the Earth's atmosphere, it begins to vapourise and then becomes a meteor. On Earth, it'll look like a streak of light in the sky, because the rock is burning up. Meteorite: If a meteoroid doesn't vapourise completely and survives the trip through Earth's atmosphere, it can land on the Earth.

At that point, it becomes a meteorite. Comet: Like asteroids, a comet orbits the Sun. However rather than being made mostly of rock, a comet contains lots of ice and gas, which can result in amazing tails forming behind them (thanks to the ice and dust vapourising)The good news is that simulations like these can be wrong.So don't panic just yet: we'll have a much better idea about the potential impact of these asteroids in the centuries to come.'

The small near-Earth asteroids 2008 TC 3, 2014 AA, 2018 LA and 2019 MO are the only four asteroids discovered before impacting into Earth (see asteroid impact prediction). Scientists estimate that several dozen asteroids in the 6–12 m (20–39 ft) size range fly by Earth at a distance closer than the moon every year, but only a fraction of these are actually detected. From the depths wiki.

We now know that our method works, but we would certainly like to delve deeper in the research with a better neural network and with more input,' Simon explained.' The tricky part is that small disruptions in the orbit calculations can lead to major changes in the conclusions.' This research was published in the Astronomy and Astrophysics journal. ©News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. 'The Sun', 'Sun', 'Sun Online' are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's in accordance with our.

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NASA warned that one of the biggest and most dangerous asteroids it has detected is moving towards Earth. If this massive asteroid ends up on a collision course with the planet, it could trigger an extinction-level event.The approaching asteroid, identified as, is currently being monitored by NASA’ Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS). According to the agency, this asteroid is currently moving at a speed of 31,320 kilometers per hour. It has an estimated diameter of 4.1 kilometers, making it significantly longer than the entire Hollywood Walk of Fame.CNEOS noted that this mountain-sized asteroid is expected to fly past Earth on April 29, 2020. During this time, the asteroid is expected to be about 6.3 million kilometers from the planet’s center.Although this seems like a very safe distance, 52768 (1998 OR2) is classified by CNEOS as a potentially hazardous asteroid.

According to the agency, the asteroid is a member of the Amor family, which means it has a very wide orbit around the Earth and the Sun. Occasionally, the asteroid flies near the planet as it completes its cycle around the giant star. Due to the asteroid’s near-Earth approaches as well as its massive size, 52768 (1998 OR2) poses a huge threat to the planet.

If the asteroid’s current trajectory slightly changes, which can easily happen due to gravitational forces in space, it could end up on a collision course with Earth.Given the asteroid’s size and speed, an Earth impact caused by 52768 (1998 OR2) would create a crater that’s at least 50 kilometers wide. The massive explosion from the would generate violent Earthquakes. It would also send molten debris flying into the sky and crashing on different parts of the world.

The intense heatwave from the blast would travel for hundreds of kilometers, incinerating everything in its path.Eventually, the dust and debris from the impact event would cover the atmosphere, preventing sunlight from penetrating and reaching the Earth’s surface. This event, known as a nuclear winter, would last for several months and could lead to the on the planet.