You've probably seen headlines about asteroids 'approaching Earth,' causing a mix of curiosity and concern. But what exactly are these space rocks, and how much do we really need to worry when one makes a close pass?
Headlines about 'close approaches' are trending because our detection tech is getting incredibly good, spotting more objects than ever before.
Advances in telescopes and survey programs like NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO) mean we're finding smaller, fainter asteroids.