Will the Earth be swallowed by the Sun? Future predictions for 5 billion years later

Have you ever heard of the urban legend that the Earth will be swallowed by the Sun? In this article, we will explain the truth behind this urban legend and the possibility of the Sun becoming a red giant star and destroying the Earth, based on the research of Dirk Ziffert, a professor at the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium.

What will happen when the Sun becomes a red giant star?

The Sun is currently producing energy by fusing hydrogen in its core, but when hydrogen runs out, it will start to fuse helium. At this point, the Sun’s core will contract and its surface will expand and cool down. This is the stage called a red giant star. When it becomes a red giant star, the Sun’s diameter will increase from 200 to 300 times its current size, and it will exceed the Earth’s orbit.

According to Ziffert’s research, it will take about 5 billion years for the Sun to become a red giant star. What will happen to the Earth during that time?

The Earth’s oceans will evaporate and the mountains will melt

Even before the Sun becomes a red giant star, the Earth will experience global warming due to the increase in heat energy from the Sun. Ziffert’s research predicts that in 1.5 billion years, all of the Earth’s oceans will evaporate, and in 2.8 billion years, the Earth’s surface temperature will reach 1400 degrees and the mountains will melt.

In this way, the Earth will become a scorching world where life cannot exist. And eventually, it will be swallowed by the Sun’s expansion.

Can humans migrate to other planets or moons?

Before the Earth is destroyed, is there a possibility that humans can migrate to other planets or moons? Ziffert’s research suggests that Mars colonization is a promising candidate. Mars orbits farther from the Sun than Earth, so it is less affected by the Sun’s expansion, and its surface temperature is expected to rise moderately.

Also, Titan and Europa, which are satellites of Saturn and Jupiter, may have potential for life. Titan and Europa have oceans containing liquid water and organic matter, and their surface temperatures may also increase and stimulate biological activity.

Furthermore, Proxima Centauri b, which is an exoplanet outside the solar system, is also attracting attention as a habitable candidate. Proxima Centauri b is the closest planet to the solar system, and it orbits within the habitable zone of Proxima Centauri, which is a red dwarf star.

However, migrating to these planets or moons is not easy. First of all, we need technology and life support systems that can withstand long-distance space travel. Also, it is uncertain whether we can adapt to the environment of our destination. Moreover, if there is already extraterrestrial life on these planets or moons, we may face problems of coexistence or competition with them.

Conclusion

The urban legend that the Earth will be swallowed by the Sun can be said to be based on scientific evidence. There is a high possibility that the Sun will become a red giant star and destroy the Earth. However, there is still more than 5 billion years left until that happens. During that time, humans may find a way to migrate to other planets or moons. We may also have a chance to encounter extraterrestrial life. The Earth may be swallowed by the Sun, but the future of humanity is still open.