Statistical analysis compares risks of asteroid impacts, lightning, and animal attacks

New research and statistical data provide a comparative look at various mortality risks, ranging from cosmic events to animal encounters. Physicists from the Olin College of Engineering suggest that the probability of a person dying from an asteroid impact is approximately 1 in 156,000, which is slightly higher than the 1 in 163,000 chance of being struck by lightning.

While a 140-meter asteroid could cause catastrophic ecosystem collapse if it hits a major city, NASA's 2022 DART mission demonstrated that such threats can theoretically be diverted. However, experts note that such defenses require significant investment and long-term planning.

In terms of animal-related fatalities, data from the World Health Organization and Our World in Data indicate that common fears like shark or lion attacks are statistically rare. Sharks cause only 5 to 10 deaths annually. In contrast, hippos kill roughly 500 people per year, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa, while elephants and lions account for hundreds of deaths annually through territorial or crop-related conflicts.