Bennu Asteroid: A Massive Threat That Could Bring ‘Global Winter’ to Earth

By Sheetal Kumari | February 17, 2025

Bennu Asteroid: A Massive Threat That Could Bring ‘Global Winter’ to Earth

Bennu’s potential collision with Earth is a remote but unsettling possibility, according to a new study.

Introduction

(Image: NASA)

Bennu could hit Earth in 2182, with at least 157 years to prepare.

The Timeline

(Image: NASA)

Bennu’s potential collision with Earth is a remote but unsettling possibility, according to a new study.

The Impact

(Image: NASA)

Dust clouds could block sunlight, cooling Earth by 4°C and triggering a global winter.

The Global Consequence

(Image: NASA)

Bennu is about 500 metres wide—taller than the Empire State Building and as wide as five football fields.

How big is asteroid Bennu?

(Image: NASA)

Bennu’s potential collision with Earth is a remote but unsettling possibility, according to a new study.

Environmental Effects

(Image: NASA)

OSIRIS-REx is a NASA mission launched in 2016 to study and collect samples from asteroid Bennu.

What is OSIRIS-REx?

(Image: NASA)

In 2020, OSIRIS-REx successfully gathered surface material from Bennu to study its composition and origins.

Bennu sample collection

(Image: NASA)

OSIRIS-REx returned Bennu samples to Earth in 2023, helping scientists uncover secrets about the origins of life.

Bringing Bennu samples

(Image: NASA)

Bennu’s risk is low, but Earth is continuously monitored for near-Earth objects and potential threats.

Ongoing Monitoring

(Image: NASA)

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