NASA has significantly lowered the risk of asteroid 2024 YR4 hitting Earth. Last week, the asteroid had a 3.1% probability of hitting Earth, which set a record level for large space rocks.

The risk that an increasingly ominous asteroid dubbed 2024 YR4 will crash into Earth in seven years now exceeds the the threat once posed by Apophis.

The chances of Asteroid 2024 YR4 striking Earth have increased. Here's what that means, and where the potential impact zone could be.

New observations of a small asteroid discovered in December have led astronomers to conclude that the chances of it striking Earth are almost zero, after earlier data had indicated a higher risk of a collision with this space rock about 40 to 90 metres wide.