Scientists say they’ve traced the origins of a potentially hazardous near-Earth asteroid to the far side of the moon

This news means that scientists were able to establish the trajectory and possible origin of the asteroid by tracing its path back to the far side of the moon. It’s important to know the origins and paths of near-Earth asteroids in order to predict their future trajectories and assess any potential threat they might pose to Earth. Details such as its size, shape, composition and rotation state would also help scientists understand more about the asteroid, all of which are valuable for planning possible deflection missions should the asteroid indeed pose a threat.