Is Asteroid '2024 YR4' a legitimate concern - or latest example of our doomscrolling obsession?

Warnings of a ‘city killer’ asteroid hurtling towards earth have been filling news feeds over the last month.

The space rock, dubbed ‘2024 YR4', had a 3.1 percent chance of hitting earth in the year 2032. That made it one of the riskiest asteroids ever, according to NASA, but they have since lowered their assessment again – to 0.28%.

That hasn’t stopped news of this asteroid sparking a social media and news obsession, just the latest thing for people to worry about in amongst wars, a bad economy and political uncertainty.

So why are we so obsessed with doomscrolling – and is fixating on potential disasters bad for our health?

Later, we’ll discuss that side of things with Dr Lisa Harrison, a lecturer in digital communications at Flinders University.

But first on The Front Page, to put all your minds at ease, we’re speaking to Joshua Aoraki from Stardome.

Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

Host: Chelsea Daniels
Sound Engineer/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.