When the sun becomes a red giant and absorbs the orbits of Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars, the orbit of Earth --at 1.5 AU distant --will no longer be habitable. By that time, however, space travel may have become routine. Like an old sci-fi flick of the 50s, mankind may simply migrate to a a new frontier, an 'undiscovered country' estimated to stretch 'well into the Kuiper Belt'. A very, very ancient history will repeat itself as icy worlds melt like an older earth emerged from an ice age. The new residents will not find woolly mammoths as did their ancient ancestors on earth but they may very well find water beyond the orbit of Pluto.Another science daily article, dated 1999, mentions a study that concludes that the sun does indeed affect Earth's climate. But: According to Shindell, the new study also confirms that changing levels of energy from the sun are not a major cause of global warming.... The GISS model agrees that the solar increases do not have the ability to cause large global temperature increases, leading Shindell to conclude that greenhouse gasses are indeed playing the dominant role." If you're still not convinced, back to the NAS report on Surface Temperature Reconstructions I quoted above: "The rising temperatures observed since 1978 are particularly noteworthy because the rate of increase is so high and because, during the same period, the energy reaching the Earth from the Sun had been measured precisely enough to conclude that Earth's warming was not due to changes in the Sun."--William Wilson, posting on: Why Nature Matters
Back to the question. will the Earth survive? According to Schroder and Smith, the answer is no. Even though the Earth could expand to an orbit 50% larger than today's orbit, it won't get the chance. The expanding Sun will engulf the Earth just before it reaches the tip of the red giant phase. And the Sun would still have another 0.25 AU and 500,000 years to grow. Once inside the Sun's atmosphere, the Earth will collide with particles of gas. Its orbit will decay, and it will spiral inward. If the Earth were just a little further from the Sun, at 1.15 AU, it would be able to survive the expansion phase. Although it's science fiction, the authors suggest that future technologies could be used to speed up the Earth's spiraling outward from the Sun. I'm not sure why, but thinking about this far future of the Earth gives an insight into human psychology. People are genuinely worried about a future billions of years away. Even though the Earth will be scorched much sooner, its oceans boiled away, and turned into a molten ball of rock, it's this early destruction by the Sun that feels so sad. --Universe Today, Will Earth Survive When the Sun Becomes a Red Giant?If we are genuinely concerned about a future billions of years distant, then why are we so myopically unconcerned about what we do to earth today? If we cannot accept responsibility for what we have done to earth today, what hope is there that we might effect a futuristic salvation some billions years distant? That seems to be the idea. If the GOP mindset can convince you to believe in 'galaxy warming', they are off the hook for several billion years. As a propaganda technique, that beats even 'supply side economics' and 'no child left behind'.
An after thought --this is not the first time the GOP has tried to rewrite physics.
Scientists can finally explain why the Twin Towers collapsed on September 11, despite the temperature of the fires being well below the 1,500C melting point of the steel girders holding up the buildings. The discovery that unusual magnetic forces within the girders made them weak at temperatures of about 500C explains away the conspiracy theories that have spread like wildfire since the disaster. --Magnetic forces to blame for 9/11 tower collapse, independent.co.ukUmmmmmm 'unusual magnetic forces' eh? Nah...methinks, it ware the li'l people who live in the woods! Aaaaaaaaaarrgh! It ware the li'l people who did it!
Additional resources:
- Jesse Ventura BODY SLAMS 'so called' 911 Conspiracy Debunkers [I disagree with the 'frame'. Anyone wishing to debunk 'theories' should start with the 'official theory'! That's not Jesse' fault. It's the fault of GOP types who like to play propaganda games with our language]
- Who was involved in 9/11? Documentary reveals shocking facts
- What Was John McCain Doing on a Yacht with a Conman, a K Street Lobbyist and a Hollywood Celebrity?
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