When The Sun Dies: What It Means For Earth

The Sun provides light and warmth, as well as conditions necessary for the existence of life on the planet Earth. But it will not live forever. Scientists have previously said that the Sun will begin to die in about 5 billion years when it runs out of hydrogen, after that it will expand into a red giant and potentially engulf the inner planets, including Earth, Space.com reported.

Here's What Would Happen If The Sun Dies

The process of the Sun's transformation into a red giant would bring extreme heat to the outer planets, which would make them habitable. However, this phase would last only a few hundred million years.

Meanwhile, Earth's surface temperature would rise. Oceans and other water bodies would evaporate, making the planet uninhabitable. The increased heat would also cause atmospheric gases to escape into space.

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The red giant phase of the Sun would last around 1 billion years. After this phase, the Sun will shed its outer layers, forming a planetary nebula, and leaving behind a white dwarf.

Such changes would make it difficult for life as we know it to survive on Earth. The increased heat and radiation would likely lead to the extinction of most life forms. The Sun's death would also be the end of our solar system, the way we know it.

The eventual death of the Sun might prompt humanity to search for new homes in other star systems if technology allows.

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What Is "Project Hail Mary"?

An upcoming Hollywood movie also revolves around the same idea. Ryan Gosling starter "Project Hail Mary" is an upcoming sci-fi film based on Andy Weir's 2021 novel of the same name. The story follows Ryland Grace, a middle school science teacher turned astronaut, who wakes up on a spaceship called the Hail Mary with no memory of his mission. His goal is to save humanity from extinction as the Sun and other stars are dying due to a mysterious force. The film is set to release in March 2026.