Star Threatens Earth: Is it Real?

  • Thread starter Thread starter engineroom
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Earth Star
AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on skepticism regarding the claims of a star threatening Earth, highlighting that the potential danger is largely speculative. Participants express concern over the alarmist tone of media reports, questioning their reliability in scientific matters. While some acknowledge that gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) could pose a risk, they emphasize that no GRBs have been observed in nearby galaxies, making the threat seem remote. There is a consensus that humanity has ample time, estimated at 500 million years, to develop strategies to mitigate such risks. Overall, the conversation underscores a cautious approach to sensationalized scientific claims.
engineroom
Messages
29
Reaction score
0
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4426392a10.html

Is this for real? I am somewhat sceptical of anything of a technical or scietific field that I read in the mass media.
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
Reading it through, it seems that the possibility of a real danger is highly speculative.
 
mathman said:
Reading it through, it seems that the possibility of a real danger is highly speculative.


Highly speculative yes but don't you love how alarmist the tone & headline are.
 
engineroom said:
...I am somewhat sceptical of anything of a technical or scientific field that I read in the mass media...
Agreed. I used my good friend Google and found http://www.usyd.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=2181".As for the actual article itself, it's definitely possible, http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/starsgalaxies/gammaray_extinction.html" seem to think so.. but I think we have 500 million years or so to plan for it..
 
Last edited by a moderator:
No GRB has been observed in any nearby galaxy, much less our own. I deem the probability very remote. If humanity persists for another 500 million years, I anticipate we will have long since acquired the ability to dodge such a bullet.
 

Thread 'How feasible is home radio astronomy?'

Is a homemade radio telescope realistic? There seems to be a confluence of multiple technologies that makes the situation better than when I was a wee lad: software-defined radio (SDR), the easy availability of satellite dishes, surveillance drives, and fast CPUs. Let's take a step back - it is trivial to see the sun in radio. An old analog TV, a set of "rabbit ears" antenna, and you're good to go. Point the antenna at the sun (i.e. the ears are perpendicular to it) and there is...
View full post »

Thread 'Our Beautiful Universe - Photos and Videos'

This thread is dedicated to the beauty and awesomeness of our Universe. If you feel like it, please share video clips and photos (or nice animations) of space and objects in space in this thread. Your posts, clips and photos may by all means include scientific information; that does not make it less beautiful to me (n.b. the posts must of course comply with the PF guidelines, i.e. regarding science, only mainstream science is allowed, fringe/pseudoscience is not allowed). n.b. I start this...
View full post »

Similar threads

I Why on Earth do we not see older stars close to us?
Replies
3
Views
2K
I Database of binary star data info within 10 PC of Earth
Replies
5
Views
3K
B Neutron star 4U 1820-30 spins at 716 revolutions per second
Replies
0
Views
2K
I Is the Sun a low-mass star or a medium-mass star?
Replies
7
Views
3K
I The Heavier Elements: A Question About Their Abundance
Replies
28
Views
3K
B Star visible for longest time from Earth
Replies
6
Views
2K
I How Does the Size of Neutron Stars Compare to Black Holes?
Replies
48
Views
5K
B Vulpecula, pulsars and neutron stars
Replies
10
Views
2K
I J0524-0336, surprisingly high Li concentration
Replies
2
Views
3K
B Feasibility of Sending a Radio Signal Detectable from a Neighboring Star
Replies
5
Views
234

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top