A recent study published in the scientific journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (MNRAS), makes an alarming prediction about the future of our planet and the solar system. The study, conducted by scientists from the University of Warwick and Naresuan University, indicates that the expanding Sun will “swallow” the Earth and other planets before turning into a white dwarf.
“The sad news is that the Earth will likely be swallowed by the expanding Sun, before it becomes a white dwarf,” explains Boris Jensek, a professor at the University of Warwick, according to a joint statement available on the Royal Astronomical Society website.
Extraterrestrial Influence: Mercury, Venus and More on the Path to Destruction
Mercury and Venus are also on the path of destroying the expanding Sun. Furthermore, solar expansion and white dwarf transformation would have devastating consequences for asteroids, moons, and possibly exoplanets.
“For the rest of the solar system, some of the asteroids between Mars and Jupiter, and perhaps some of Jupiter’s moons, could dislodge and travel close enough to the white dwarf to eventually undergo the grinding process we studied,” Gainesek explains.
Observations over 17 years reveal the 'chaotic' behavior of celestial bodies
Scientists have observed changes in the brightness of stars for more than 17 years, and have identified “chaotic” and “turbulent” behavior of turbulent celestial bodies due to the intense gravity of white dwarfs.
“Previous research has shown that when asteroids, moons and planets approach white dwarfs, the enormous gravity of these stars tears these small planetary bodies into smaller and smaller pieces,” says Amornrat Ongwirujoit, lead researcher at Naresuan University. Royal Astronomical Society website.
Space exploration challenge: finding a new home
The study raises concerns about the future of space exploration. If humanity becomes an interplanetary or interstellar species, it will need to find a new home outside our solar system to escape the Sun's destructive path.
“It is not clear whether the Earth could move fast enough before the Sun collided with it and burned it up, but if it did, the Earth would lose its atmosphere and ocean and would not be a pleasant place to live,” Gainesek concludes. .
This “terrifying prophecy” is just a prediction, and the study's authors warn that Earth's ultimate fate could be “far more complex than we ever imagined.”
