Everyone understands that life on planet Earth cannot be imagined without the main source of light shining in the sky - the Sun. It is thanks to him that the planets rotate on their axis. It is thanks to the Sun that life appeared on Earth.
Since ancient times, people have been thinking about the question: what will happen if the sun goes out? Scientists put forward their versions, filmmakers repeatedly make films on this subject. What will happen to humanity, and indeed to the whole living world on Earth?
Why can the sun go out?
The power of radiation that falls from the Sun to Earth is equated to 170 trillion kW. In addition, another 2 billion times more energy is scattered into space. The theory of relativity reads: energy consumption affects mass loss.
Every minute the sun loses 240 million tons in weight. Scientists have calculated that the life expectancy of the Sun is 10 billion years.
So how much more time is left? Scientists suggest that exactly half of the allotted period, that is, 5 billion years.
What then? And if the Sun goes out, what will happen to the Earth? Regarding this global issue, there are many opinions and debates. Below are just a few of them.
Eternal darkness
If in a completely isolated room to extinguish the source of light, then there will be complete darkness. And what will happen if the sun goes out? Same.
At first glance, this is not entirely dangerous for humanity. After all, people invented other sources of light. But how long will they last? But the cessation of the flow of sunlight will adversely affect the plants. And literally in a week they will all die. As a result, photosynthesis and the process of oxygen production on Earth will stop.
Loss of gravity
The sun is a kind of magnet. Due to its attraction, eight planets of the solar system do not move randomly, but strictly along the axes around the center. But what happens if the sun suddenly goes out? All of them, having lost the force of gravity, will begin to travel arbitrarily through the vast expanses of the galaxy.
For the Earth, this is likely to lead to tragic consequences. After all, a collision even with a small space object, not to mention another planet, can simply tear it to pieces. Does this mean that if the sun goes out, the earth will perish? But there are optimists among scientists who claim that the earth can survive. But such an option is possible if it falls into the Milky Way, where it finds a new star and, accordingly, a new orbit.
Cessation of life
As already noted, life cannot be imagined without sunlight and heat. So what happens if the sun goes out? Plants will be the first to suffer. They will literally disappear in the first week. Only large trees, due to sucrose stocks, can survive for some more time. Then, having lost their source of food, first herbivores, and then predators, will die. In addition, the disappearance of plants will stop the production of oxygen, which will further accelerate the extinction of living organisms on Earth. The advantage is the inhabitants of the depths of the ocean. Firstly, they do not need light, because they are used to constant darkness. Secondly, they are less dependent on oxygen, since they do not need to float to the surface, as most species of fish do.
But life on earth will not die completely. History knows of the survival of some species (for example, cockroaches) even after the most global changes. Some microorganisms will continue to exist for many hundreds or even thousands of years. Perhaps in the future they will be the beginning of a new life on earth.
A foggy future for man
It has been proven more than once that people adapt to different conditions. And what will happen if the sun goes out? Having evolved, humanity has learned to create other sources of light. For a while they will be quite enough.
In addition, you can use the energy of the earth, including volcanoes. Already, Icelandians are using geothermal energy to heat their homes. Yes, and without food sources, a person can survive. Firstly, because of its stamina. Secondly, due to the fact that he himself learned to create food.
Another ice age
As is known from history, the Earth was already experiencing ice ages. But they cannot be compared with that which will come after the sun goes out. According to the theory of scientists, in just a week the temperature in all corners of the globe will drop to minus 17 degrees Celsius. After a year, it will drop to minus 40. Initially, the land will cover with ice, especially those areas that are located far from the water.
Then the ice cap will cover all the seas and oceans. However, ice will be, in a sense, a heater for water at depth, so the seas and oceans will completely turn into ice only after hundreds of thousands of years.
