Is it real? Everyone on the planet could become a billionaire if NASA can get this asteroid back to Earth; here's why

NASA has discovered a new asteroid that could potentially be worth an astronomical $10 quintillion (£8,000,000,000,000,000,000). This asteroid, currently in Earth's atmosphere, is composed mainly of platinum and palladium, both highly valuable materials used in the automotive and electronics industries. Its size and composition make it a unique find.

Last month, NASA sent a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket to probe the asteroid, named 16 Psyche. The samples and data collected revealed its immense value.

16 Psyche is one of the largest M-type asteroids known. It is currently far from Earth but is moving closer, traveling 2.2 billion miles to the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It is expected to arrive there by July 2029. The asteroid is estimated to be 30-60% metal and spans approximately 64,000 square miles.


If the asteroid's value were distributed among the world's population of eight billion, each person would theoretically receive £1 billion. However, experts warn that such a distribution would devastate the global economy, disproportionately benefiting the ultra-wealthy and causing everyday prices to skyrocket.

Elon Musk, currently the world's richest man with a net worth of £248 billion, would receive almost 250 times less than his current wealth from the asteroid's value.

NASA's mission is not profit-driven. Instead, they aim to study the asteroid's metals to gain insights into planetary cores and the universe's properties. This discovery could significantly enhance our understanding of the cosmos.

FAQs:

Has NASA discovered a new asteroid?
NASA sent a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket to probe an asteroid, termed as 16 Psyche, which could make every man on earth a billionaire.