Collision between rare stars in Milky Way to end life on Earth, says study

As per the latest study, if two decaying stars get involved in a rare cataclysmic collision in the Milky Way galaxy, it can rip off the protective ozone layer from Earth and lead to the mass extinction of all life forms on the planet.

Till now, only some similar neutron star collision events, which are known as kilonovas, have been observed by astronomers. If such an explosion occurs in Earth's close proximity, it may turn dangerous for life on Earth, stated scientists, including those who worked at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the United States.

The research, which is yet-to-be peer-reviewed, can help determine the possibility of life surviving on other worlds, which are close to these star collision events.

The biggest threat to the planes from such a collision between stars is the burst of radiation from them, which includes an X-ray afterglow they produce and gamma rays, as per the scientists.

ALSO READ |Orionid meteor shower is coming this weekend, courtesy Halley's Comet

“Ionizing radiation from these sources can be dangerous for life on Earth-like planets when located too close,” stated researchers, in the study. The possibilities of these events and how they will affect Earth were studied by scientists on the basis of an analysis of what we know is the first-ever neutron star collision detected, a stellar event called GW170817.

The researchers stated that any living thing which is present within the narrow range of around 297 light-years (97 parsecs) of such an explosion faces the possibility of getting burned by powerful gamma radiation.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Explosion can rip off Earth'sstratospheric ozone

If the Earth was in such a zone, scientists stated that the stratospheric ozone may get stripped from the Earth due to the radiation, which may require some years to recover.

The scientists said that the x-rays from the afterglow of the kilonova are likely to be more lethal as they are likely to last longer than the gamma-ray emissions, adding that the life-destroying effects will remain within about 16 light years.

WATCH |Gaganyaan: India's first mission to send astronauts to space

“For baseline kilonova parameters, we find that the X-ray emission from the afterglow may be lethal out to ∼5 pc and the off-axis gamma-ray emission may threaten a range out to ∼4 pc,” noted scientists.

“The greatest threat comes years after the explosion, from the cosmic rays accelerated by the kilonova blast, which can be lethal out to distances up to ∼ 11 pc,” they stated.

The study, however, cautioned that the findings have “significant uncertainties” and they will depend on the “viewing angle, ejected mass, and explosion energy”.

“The rarity of binary neutron star mergers combined with a small range of lethality means that they are probably not important threats to life on Earth. We find that the mean recurrence time of lethal mergers at the location of the Sun is much larger than the age of the Universe,” they stated.

(With inputs from agencies)

You cannow write for wionews.comand be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with ushere.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE