According to a NASA survey, approximately 1,000 asteroids large enough to cause catastrophic damage if they collided with Earth are currently orbiting nearby. This survey, known as Spaceguard, was initiated by Congress in 1998 with the goal of identifying 90 percent of objects near Earth that are at least 1 km in diameter. The survey has been completed, with 93 percent of the objects identified. Astronomer Amy Mainzer announced these findings at the American Geophysical Union conference in San Francisco. Using NASA's retired WISE telescope, scientists also discovered around 20,500 smaller asteroids near Earth, a significant increase from previous estimates of 36,000 to 100,000 objects with a diameter of about 100 meters. Mainzer informed Reuters that although the likelihood of an impact is low, asteroids still have the potential to cause significant damage. About 65 million years ago, an asteroid or comet estimated to be between 5 and 10 km in diameter collided with Earth, resulting in climate changes that led to the extinction of dinosaurs and other species. Mainzer emphasized that an object of that size could have devastating consequences for life on Earth. Currently, scientists are analyzing archived WISE data to identify potentially hazardous objects that come close to Earth's orbit. As of now, there is no strategy in place for how to respond if an asteroid was found to be heading towards Earth.