NASA scientists warn that in a few billion years, our planet will inevitably fall victim to the evolutionary changes of the Sun. According to astrophysicists, in about five billion years, the Sun will transform into a red giant, leading to the destruction of the Earth.
This is reported by Finway
Stages of the Sun’s Evolution and Consequences for the Earth
Currently, the Sun is in a stable phase of its existence — it maintains a balance between gravitational collapse and thermonuclear reactions. However, as noted by NASA researchers and international experts, including Professor Janet Drew from University College London, this state will not last forever. Thanks to data obtained from the James Webb Space Telescope, scientists have been able to model the future development of our star.
When the hydrogen supply in the Sun’s core is exhausted, contraction and heating will begin at the center, and helium synthesis processes will transition to heavier elements. The released energy will cause a massive expansion of the outer layers — the Sun will become a red giant with a radius that could reach the orbit of the Earth.
Possible Scenarios for the Destruction of the Earth
Astronomers consider two main scenarios. In the first case, the Earth could be completely engulfed by the inflated layers of the Sun, dissolving in the scorching plasma. In the second scenario, our planet will be subjected to powerful gravitational and tidal forces that could destroy it even before direct contact with the giant’s surface.
These scientific hypotheses are supported by observations of other stellar systems. In particular, studies of exoplanets indicate that near aging red giants, large planets on close orbits become a significant rarity — their numbers decrease by almost half.
To better understand the final stages of stellar evolution, astronomers are studying the Helix Nebula, located 650 light-years from Earth. Images obtained by the JWST telescope show the remnants of a stellar system after the demise of the central star: a superdense core the size of Earth emits ultraviolet light, while the ejected shells form giant rings of gas extending for several light-years.
“According to Professor Drew, the death of the Earth will not mean the end of the Universe, but merely the beginning of new worlds.”
Despite such predictions, scientists note that the disappearance of the Earth will merely be another link in the natural cosmic cycle. The elements that the Sun will disperse into space during its ‘death’ — carbon, oxygen, iron — will serve as building materials for the next generations of stars and planets.