In collaboration with researchers from Toho University in Japan, NASA researchers used supercomputers to simulate and determine how long life on Earth will remain possible. Estimated end date All life on Earth is still a long way off, but researchers warn a potential end date People sooner than we previously thought.
According to the study, the cessation of all life on Earth depends on the lifespan of the Sun. Over the next billion years, our Sun will continue to grow and heat the Earth to the point where life will become impossible. Researchers estimate that this will happen in 1,000,002,021, when conditions on the Earth's surface will become so extreme that life will become impossible for even the most resilient organisms.
What about human life?
For us humans, the situation will become serious even earlier. As the sun gets hotter and hotter, the Earth's atmosphere will change significantly. This will lead to a drop in oxygen levels, deterioration in air quality and a sharp rise in temperature. These changes were predicted using a detailed model of climate change and solar radiation.
Signs of these changes can already be felt. Coronal mass ejections and solar storms have intensified and are affecting the Earth's magnetic field, which is already reducing the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere, giving researchers an idea of the long-term consequences. Human-caused climate change is also bringing us closer to the end, with the world already seeing rising global temperatures and melting polar ice caps.
No specific date for the end of human life was given. However, according to the researchers, it is quite possible that environmental conditions will become too harsh for humans much sooner than a billion years from now.
Possible solutions for the distant future
Life on Earth will not end suddenly – it will fizzle out with a slow and irreversible decline. But despite the long period of time, researchers emphasize the importance of preparing and adapting to the future of humanity now.
Some scientists propose technological interventions, including closed life support systems and artificial habitats, to maintain habitable environments for as long as possible.
Others, meanwhile, are even considering other planets in our solar system. Plans for long-term space colonization, including missions to Mars led by NASA and SpaceX, are seen as potential strategies to support human life once Earth itself becomes uninhabitable.
Further reading: NASA is considering using nuclear weapons against a lunar asteroid
