Space is filled with numerous mysteries. While scientists have uncovered some of them, many still remain unsolved. One of these is asteroids. Millions of asteroids are floating in the universe, and scientists believe that these asteroids could hold the key to understanding the origins of our solar system. Research on this continues to this day. However, we won’t dive into the depths of asteroid studies here. Instead, we’ll focus on one particular asteroid that is being claimed to be rich in various mineral resources. This asteroid is named 16 Psyche. It’s being said that if humanity could get its hands on this asteroid, every person on Earth would become a billionaire.
According to reports, the 16 Psyche asteroid was discovered in 1852 by Italian scientist Annibale de Gasparis. It is located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Scientists believe this asteroid is rich in precious minerals, including gold, platinum, nickel, and iron and measuring around 226 kilometers in circumference. Estimates suggest that the value of 16 Psyche could be greater than the entire global economy. If the asteroid’s resources were distributed equally among Earth’s population, every person on the planet would become a billionaire.
The estimated value of 16 Psyche, filled with a variety of minerals, is around 10,000 quadrillion dollars. This price is so high that it seems nearly impossible to calculate in Indian rupees. Scientists say that the asteroid takes about five years to complete one orbit around the Sun. It’s located about three times farther from the Sun than Earth is.
According to scientists, 16 Psyche is quite large in size, and if it were to collide with Earth, it could cause catastrophic damage. In fact, it could potentially wipe out a part of the Earth completely. In 2023, NASA launched a mission to research this asteroid. However, if mining were ever planned on this asteroid, it would be an extremely expensive endeavor.
