• Question: how will the world end? And when do think it will happen

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      Asked by Aoife to Aoife, Brian, Conor, Louise, Matthew on 10 Nov 2016.
      • Photo: Matthew Kitching

        Matthew Kitching answered on 10 Nov 2016:


        Hi 836newg36!

        You ask hard questions! lol! you should definitely be a scientist 🙂

        How will the world end – thats waaaaaaay above my pay grade! Assuming that the human race doesn’t do something hella stupid and destroy itself – the sun at the center of our solar system will either grow into a red giant and absorb the planet or make it sooooo hot that nothing can live on earth.

        Based on measurements of the sun – it will happen in somewhere between 1 and 5 billion years time – so we’ve got a bit of time to get out of the way yet 🙂

        Lots of people have predicted different dates, some are more funny than others:

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dates_predicted_for_apocalyptic_events

        hope this answers your question! – let me know if you want to know more 🙂

      • Photo: Louise Mc Grath

        Louise Mc Grath answered on 11 Nov 2016:


        Hi 836newg36!

        That’s a really good question.. I really had to think about it..! Based on my knowledge it will happen tomorrow…! Ah no I am just kidding! I’m no expert in this so I have decided to let NASA answer this question for you!

        According to NASA, the sun is going to die in 5 billion years, which is a LONG time. You and I won’t be around to see it happen. It is estimated that when the sun dies it will expand, and engulf/eat the inner planets of our solar system, and it will potentially vaporise Mercury, Venus and Earth!

        But, there is a chance that Earth could survive and not be vaporised by the dying sun. If that is the case then it may be sucked in by the gravitational pull of the newly formed white dwarf (dead suns become white dwarves!) and be shredded to pieces. Not a nice way to go…

        I am happy I won’t be around to see that because both ways sound horrible! Also if you want to read the article I got the information on you can find it here: http://www.alternet.org/environment/doomsday-scenario-heres-how-world-will-end-according-nasa. It’s very interesting but kind of scary at the same time…

      • Photo: Aoife Lucid

        Aoife Lucid answered on 11 Nov 2016:


        I think, like Louise and Matthew already said we have plenty of time (1-5 billion years) but I don’t consider the end of the world to necessarily be when it will be vapourised by the dying sun or anything like that. We are killing our planet every day that we are not making an effort to treat the planet in a better way. Climate change is a huge problem for our generation (caused by previous generations) and if we don’t endeavour to do something, even small things every day, we will certainly lose our planet sooner than we are expecting.

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