LEUVEN, BELGIUM — Astronomers predict that all life on Earth will be wiped out in 5 billion years, as the sun balloons in size and scorches the planet.
Scientists at the University of Leuven in Belgium used ALMA, the world’s most powerful radio telescope, to forecast the future of the planet, according to a study published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.
They predict that within 5 billion years, the sun will grow into a red giant star one hundred times its current size. The sun will swallow up and destroy its two closest planets, Mercury and Venus, and all life on Earth is likely to be destroyed.
There is, however, a possibility the rocky core of the planet could survive.
In 7 billion years, the sun will then experience intense loss of mass due to strong stellar winds that will see it evolve into a tiny white dwarf star.
If the earth’s rocky core survives, it may continue to orbit the white dwarf star.
The white dwarf star will be similar in size to Earth but much heavier. One teaspoon of its matter will weigh about 5 tons.
The astronomers’ findings are based on an examination of L2 Puppis, an evolved star 208 light years away from Earth, which 5 billion years ago was very similar to our sun.
The scientists said an object orbiting L2 Puppis is likely to be a planet, and further study could offer unique insights into Earth’s eventual fate.
Scientists at the University of Leuven in Belgium used ALMA, the world’s most powerful radio telescope, to forecast the future of the planet, according to a study published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.
They predict that within 5 billion years, the sun will grow into a red giant star one hundred times its current size. The sun will swallow up and destroy its two closest planets, Mercury and Venus, and all life on Earth is likely to be destroyed.
There is, however, a possibility the rocky core of the planet could survive.
In 7 billion years, the sun will then experience intense loss of mass due to strong stellar winds that will see it evolve into a tiny white dwarf star.
If the earth’s rocky core survives, it may continue to orbit the white dwarf star.
The white dwarf star will be similar in size to Earth but much heavier. One teaspoon of its matter will weigh about 5 tons.
The astronomers’ findings are based on an examination of L2 Puppis, an evolved star 208 light years away from Earth, which 5 billion years ago was very similar to our sun.
The scientists said an object orbiting L2 Puppis is likely to be a planet, and further study could offer unique insights into Earth’s eventual fate.
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