A teen in Germany is getting recognized for making a major correction to a NASA estimate involving the chances of an asteroid colliding with Earth, but a NASA representative is refuting his claim.
Nico Marquardt, 13, used telescopic findings to calculate the chance the Apophis asteroid would hit Earth.
NASA originally said there was a 1-in-45,000 chance. It turned out there is more like a 1-in-450 chance.
Marquardt figured out NASA was not accounting for the asteroid actually hitting one of the thousands of satellites orbiting Earth, and that could have disasterous consequences.
However, NASA spokesman Duane Brown told CBC News that NASA has never corresponded with Marquardt and Near-Earth Object program manager Don Yeomans is sticking with his current prediction.
If the asteroid strikes a satellite in 2029, that would change its trajectory, sending the asteroid into Earth's orbit by 2036.
NASA said should that happen, Apophis likely would crash into the Atlantic Ocean, causing huge tsunamis and sending a thick cloud of dust that would blanket the planet indefinitely.
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