Could a Supernova Destroy Earth?
What would it look like if the apocalypse came from space instead of our own failures?
Imagine you’re out late one night stargazing. Looking up at the night sky, you notice one star growing brighter at a rather alarming rate. Suddenly, intense waves of light begin exploding outwards from the star, and the sky is filled with brilliant light. You squint as the brightness becomes an overwhelming light show of bright colors.
Unfortunately for you, this beautiful display will be your doom.
What you’ve just witnessed is the death of a massive star, which astronomers call a supernova. These powerful end-of-life explosions are some of the most energetic events in the universe. Generally speaking, only stars with masses at least eight times that of our Sun end their lives in a supernova. Smaller stars just don’t have enough energy to trigger an explosion.
Supernovae play an important role in the evolution of space, responsible for creating natural elements heavier than iron, including important metals like gold, copper, zinc, and nickel. In fact, many of the materials Earth is made of would not exist without these explosions. Supernovae also send shockwaves that trigger the birth of newborn stars in clouds of interstellar gas and dust. They release energy and…
