universe.review.ca All animals and plants will vanish from the Earth within the next billion years, a new study suggests.
The predictions are based on a computer simulation of the impact long-term changes to the Sun are likely to have on Earth.
Ironically, the end of the world will arrive as a result of too little carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, rather than too much. At the moment, experts are seeking ways to cut levels of the greenhouse gas to prevent global warming running out of control.
However, scientists predict a future with the aging Sun growing hotter, leading to greater evaporation and chemical reactions. Rainwater will remove more and more carbon dioxide. In less than a billion years, levels will be too low for photosynthesizing plants to survive.
As the Sun ages over the next billion years or so, it is expected to remain stable but to grow steadily brighter. The increasingly intense radiation will cause the Earth to heat up to such an extent that the oceans start to evaporate.
When that happens, life as we know it on Earth will cease to exist.
These speculations are interesting as long as they don't affect us here and now. Our forebears struggled to survive, lorded it over the animals, and even shot precious tigers as trophies all without a thought of what would happen in the future. We're doing the best we can for the planet now, based on what we know.
Earth is estimated to be about 4.5 billion years old, and for much of that history it has been home to life in varied forms. The earliest evidence for life on Earth comes from fossilized mats of cyanobacteria called stromatolites in Australia that are about 3.4 billion years old. Ancient as their origins are, these bacteria (which are still around today) are already biologically complex—they have cell walls protecting their protein-producing DNA, so scientists think life must have begun much earlier, perhaps as early as 3.8 billion years ago.
The predictions are based on a computer simulation of the impact long-term changes to the Sun are likely to have on Earth.
Ironically, the end of the world will arrive as a result of too little carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, rather than too much. At the moment, experts are seeking ways to cut levels of the greenhouse gas to prevent global warming running out of control.
However, scientists predict a future with the aging Sun growing hotter, leading to greater evaporation and chemical reactions. Rainwater will remove more and more carbon dioxide. In less than a billion years, levels will be too low for photosynthesizing plants to survive.
As the Sun ages over the next billion years or so, it is expected to remain stable but to grow steadily brighter. The increasingly intense radiation will cause the Earth to heat up to such an extent that the oceans start to evaporate.
When that happens, life as we know it on Earth will cease to exist.
These speculations are interesting as long as they don't affect us here and now. Our forebears struggled to survive, lorded it over the animals, and even shot precious tigers as trophies all without a thought of what would happen in the future. We're doing the best we can for the planet now, based on what we know.
Earth is estimated to be about 4.5 billion years old, and for much of that history it has been home to life in varied forms. The earliest evidence for life on Earth comes from fossilized mats of cyanobacteria called stromatolites in Australia that are about 3.4 billion years old. Ancient as their origins are, these bacteria (which are still around today) are already biologically complex—they have cell walls protecting their protein-producing DNA, so scientists think life must have begun much earlier, perhaps as early as 3.8 billion years ago.
ayazastro.com But despite knowing approximately when life first appeared on Earth, scientists are still far from answering how it appeared. Today, there are several competing theories for how life arose here. Some question whether life began on Earth at all, asserting instead that it came from a distant world or the heart of a fallen comet or asteroid. Some even say life might have arisen here more than once.
I prefer to believe in a loving God, waiting in heaven for me to arrive home again. I think I've been here many times before and learned during each lifetime.
We all have an idea about life.
My husband thinks when we die, that's the end of us. Like a tree.
My daughter thinks aliens or divine beings are waiting to transform us right now.
However, nobody really knows.
I prefer to believe in a loving God, waiting in heaven for me to arrive home again. I think I've been here many times before and learned during each lifetime.
We all have an idea about life.
My husband thinks when we die, that's the end of us. Like a tree.
My daughter thinks aliens or divine beings are waiting to transform us right now.
However, nobody really knows.
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