Two asteroids pass near Earth within hours; scientists confirm no collision risk

On May 18th, two small asteroids—each roughly the size of an office building—passed near Earth within hours of one another, a temporal coincidence uncommon enough to draw the gaze of planetary scientists worldwide. Spotted only days before their arrival by observers in the Arizona desert, the pair reminded humanity that the near-Earth environment still holds surprises, arriving sometimes with little more than a week's notice. Neither object threatened our world, but together they illuminated both the progress and the persistent gaps in our vigil over the sky.