The warning follows a series of growing concerns in the scientific community about asteroid risks. In April, NASA raised the estimated chance of an asteroid impact on the Moon to four percent
Three massive asteroids capable of destroying entire cities are currently hidden behind Venus, according to a new study that warns Earth may not see them coming until it’s too late.
Published in Astronomy and Astrophysics, the study reveals that Venus obscures a region of space where potentially catastrophic asteroids—ranging from 330 to 1,300 feet (100 to 400 meters) wide—may be lurking. Each is large enough to trigger massive destruction, including fires, tsunamis, and widespread loss of life. Researchers led by Valerio Carruba of São Paulo State University in Brazil have identified 20 known Venus co-orbital asteroids. These space rocks share a similar orbital path with Venus, making them especially difficult to detect from Earth.
What makes these asteroids even more dangerous is their unpredictable nature. Their orbits are not stable and can shift due to gravitational influences, potentially sending them toward Earth with little warning.
“Because ground-based telescopes can’t see objects in the area near the Sun, we’re essentially blind to some of the most threatening asteroids,” the authors explained. They stress the urgent need for a dedicated space probe to be sent toward Venus to survey this hidden region. “A probe is the only way to fully map these ‘invisible’ threats hiding in our solar system’s blind spot,” the study notes.
The warning follows a series of growing concerns in the scientific community about asteroid risks. In April, NASA raised the estimated chance of an asteroid impact on the Moon to four percent. Around the same time, separate data showed that the probability of a significant asteroid striking Earth had risen to 3.1 percent—the highest recorded to date.
While those odds may seem small, experts warn that the consequences of even a single impact could be devastating.
The latest findings serve as a stark reminder of the limits of current space surveillance systems. Without better detection methods, Earth remains vulnerable to threats that could emerge suddenly from behind the glare of the Sun. Scientists continue to call for more funding, international collaboration, and space missions focused on asteroid tracking—particularly in blind spots near the Sun that current ground-based instruments can’t monitor.
