Is there a 'Future Earth'?

Illustration photo

KMT-2020-BLG-0414, 4,000 light-years from Earth, is a rocky planet orbiting a white dwarf – the remnant of a star. Our Sun is expected to turn into a white dwarf in 5 billion years.

Before that time, the Sun will become a red giant, engulfing Mercury, Venus, and possibly Earth and Mars.

If it is lucky enough to escape this fate, Earth may end up like the newly discovered planet mentioned above, gradually drifting further away from the cold remnants of the Sun.

"There is currently no consensus on whether the Earth can avoid being swallowed by the Sun in 6 billion years," said Dr. Keming Zhang, an astronomer at the University of California San Diego and lead author of the study.

In any case, Earth can only sustain life for about the next billion years, when the oceans will evaporate due to the runaway greenhouse effect - long before it risks being swallowed by a red giant star.

This discovery opens up many speculations about the distant future of humanity.

While it is not yet known whether life can survive the red giant phase, Dr Zhang has hypothesized that humans could migrate to icy moons like Europa and Enceladus, which orbit Jupiter and Saturn.

These icy worlds will become ocean planets in the Sun's later years.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/co-mot-trai-dat-o-tuong-lai-20240928085054497.htm