According to information released by the science sector of the India Today portal, scientists have discovered a major threat that is coming from deep space towards planet Earth.
The information provided by the portal shows that astronomers from the Chandra X-Ray Observatory and other telescopes launched by NASA, identified explosions of stars, known as supernovae, that can reach the land.
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These explosions are happening 100 light years from Earth, but the cosmic rays emitted by them demonstrate a great propulsion potential, being able to reach the earth and other planets in the solar system. solar.
Scientists who observed the events warned of the risk potential of cosmic events. "This intense exposure could trigger an extinction event on the planet," they said in a press release.
“A torrent of X-rays like this can sweep over a planet. Radiation would severely alter the atmospheric chemistry of this place. For an Earth-like planet, this process could wipe out a significant portion of ozone, which ultimately protects life. dangerous ultraviolet radiation from its host star," explains Ian Brunton of the University of Illinois, who led the study.
A similar event may have happened in Earth's past
In all, NASA scientists observed 31 supernovae and their consequences on planets neighboring the exploding stars. The explosions seen now happened about 160 light-years from Earth.
In the observation, astronomers were able to identify an Earth-like planet that received radiation from a nearby supernova for years on end. As a result, this world had its atmosphere filled with a large brown haze composed of nitrogen dioxide.
The scientists' warning is reinforced by some studies carried out in the past. These surveys showed that between two and eight billion years ago the Earth was hit by X-rays from supernovae that occurred between 65 and 500 light years from the planet.
“Further supernova X-ray research is valuable not only for understanding the life cycle of stars, but also for understanding fields like astrobiology, paleontology and earth sciences,” said Brian Fields of the University of Illinois, who also participated in the study. recent.
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