Wiegert explained, “The odds of an unseen small asteroid deflecting Apophis enough to direct it into a collision with Earth in 2029 are approximately 10^-8.”

He also noted, “Given that only 5 percent of such impulses are in the correct direction to generate an Earth impact, the overall probability of a small impact directing Apophis into a collision with the Earth is less than one in two billion.”

Despite these slim chances, NASA has also weighed in on the situation after conducting investigations into the asteroid last year. In a statement, they acknowledged the unique nature of Apophis’ close encounter with Earth.