Close Calls: The Annual Frequency of 'City Killer' Asteroids Dodging Earth

Asteroids pose real threats to Earth, with frequent low-impact collisions from small asteroids and rare high-impact collisions from large asteroids. On average, a four-meter asteroid intersects the Earth's surface once per year, while larger asteroids have thousands of near misses closer than the Moon. The Torino Scale categorizes predicted threats, with all known objects currently rated at zero. However, advancements in technology, such as the recent DART mission, offer the potential to change the trajectory of asteroids and protect Earth from collision.