The story
From the first letters of the surnames Yarkovsky, O'Keefe, Radzievskii and Paddack + effect. Coined in 2000 by American geophysicist David Perry Rubincam.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
YORP effect
Today it means: The effect of solar radiation on an asymmetric asteroid or other small body whereby its rate of rotation increases, potentially leading to the object's eventual disintegration. Full definition →