What is the biggest threat to human existence on Earth? Your answer might point towards the intensifying global warming or nuclear war or might be a sweeping virulent disease. But a recent research report has come up with six most vulnerable factors that can completely wipe out the human existence some day. The study led by Daniel Brown, Lecturer in Astronomy, Nottingham Trent University and published on journal ‘The Conversation’ has highlighted six topmost cosmic risks that can annihilate earth someday.
As discussed by scientists, these six cosmic catastrophes are much more powerful and treacherous than our previously thought factors. Let’s have a look on six most powerful cosmic disasters that can severely endanger or even wipe out the entire humanity from the earth.
Rich stellar flicker
You might think the Sun to be a peaceful celestial object. But scientists recently have revealed that the high-energy solar flares someday might be the prime reason behind the extinction of earth. Sun often generates powerful magnetic fields that create remarkable sun spots, sometimes hundred thousand times larger than our mother planet. It also pours out a strong itinerary of particles and waves called ‘solar wind, which breach radio communication and cause the power outage. The most powerful magnetic solar storm battered the Earth in 1859, and hence in future, the possibilities can’t be overlooked, warn scientists.
Crash of Asteroid
Well, this is the most obvious vulnerable factor to the extinction of earth. The crash of a giant asteroid with earth has wiped out the species of dinosaur from the planet and therefore it also possesses higher risks of destroying the earth. However, scientists have been monitoring the movements of known asteroids through the employment of various high-end scientific techniques like kinetic Impactor, Ion Beam Deflection, and Enhanced Gravity Tractor.
Expanding Circumference of Sun
This is the third most threatening condition to the survival of humanity and earth. The expanding edge of the sun is expected to bring the life of earth to end someday, cautioned scientists. The scientists have already proved that the sun will demise in nearly 7.72 billion years. And in this condition, it is expected to toss its outer surface to form a terrestrial nebula, which will ultimately end up as a stellar remnant, called ‘white dwarf’. As the Sun is much bigger than of Earth, its expansion can create intimidation to the existence of earth.
Burst of Local gamma wave
The extremely intense explosion of force called gamma ray bursts usually caused by the dual star systems, in which two stars orbiting a common core and sometimes also be sourced from exploding stars called supernovas. As estimated by the scientists, the gamma ray bursts usually focus their energy into a slender beam, which lasts less than seconds or minutes and hence they are extremely intense and powerful. It means the radiation of such powerful rays can break and annihilate earth’s ozone layer, leaving life exposed to the harmful UV radiation of the sun.
Supernova explosions
The explosion of nearby supernovas can be another fundamental reason behind the destruction of earth and humanity, suspected the scientists. The supernova explosions are very rare and in 100 years, a single event of supernova explosion takes place. It happens when a star reached its last stage. As estimated by the scientists, most of the supernova events take place miles away from the core of our Milky Way and a supernova needs minimum 50 light years to hit its radiation with the Ozone layer of the earth. But if a close-by existence of supernova happens, it can bring destruction to the earth.
Moving stars
A number of moving or wandering stars keep orbiting in the Milky Way or even in outside galaxies. However, they all have their own courses. But sometimes, their path might come so closer to the Sun, causing its interaction with the rock-strewn ‘Oort cloud’, located at the border of the planetary system. And this might lead to a severe damage to the earth. Sometimes, it is the solar magnetic field which drags the moving stars towards its edge. So in this pattern, the possibilities of the destruction of the earth through a moving star can’t be denied.