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'Death Star' Aimed at Earth
An anonymous reader writes "A spectacular, rotating binary star system is a ticking time bomb, ready to throw out a searing beam of high-energy gamma rays that could lead to a major extinction event — and Earth may be right in the line of fire. Australian science magazine Cosmos Magazine reports: 'Though the risk may be remote, there is evidence that gamma ray bursts have swept over the planet at various points in Earth's history with a devastating effect on life. A 2005 study showed that a gamma-ray burst originating within 6,500 light years of Earth could be enough to strip away the ozone layer and cause a mass extinction. Researchers led by Adrian Melott at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, U.S., suggest that such an event may have been responsible for a mass extinction 443 million years ago, in the late Ordovician period, which wiped out 60 per cent of life and cooled the planet.'"
443 million years ago
How do these fancy-pants "scientists" know what happened 442,994,000 years before Earth was created?
Trolling is a art,
You mean I've been driving a Prius and spending my beer money on renewable energy only to have this happen!??!
There is no "I disagree" mod for a reason. Flamebait, Troll, and Overrated are not substitutes.
Had to be said ...
It was nice knowing you.
cmd-q.co.uk - some sort of stupid fucking internet bullshit
I own a very old house with lead paint all over the ceiling. Since your survival depends on renting my basement, I think I'll start the bidding at $100,000/mo+utils, no pets.
This is really no problem at all. I'm sure we'll find a critical flaw in the star that will allow us to destroy it in the nick of time. Possibly an exhaust port or something like that.
if years > 6000 and state == Kansas: Bad_Evolution_Jokes()
John Titor would have warned us.
>> Cosmos Magazine reports
Other articles include:
10 Fabulous Handbags for the Apocalypse
Is Your Man Cheating? Find Out With A Quantum Telescope.
Lose Weight Fast - New Dark Matter Diet.
If these rays cool the planet, and Global Warming warms the planet, we should stay a nice luke-warm and be fine, right?
Except for the searing ultraviolet from a lack of ozone, I would say you are about spot on.
Tequila: It's not just for breakfast anymore!
errr ... "informative" ???
Yes, I'm left. You have a problem with that?
You mean I've been driving a Prius and spending my beer money on renewable energy only to have this happen!??!
Bart: Aw, recycling's useless, Lis. Once the Sun burns out, this planet is doomed. You're just making sure we spend our last days using inferior products.
~Philly
To Americans, at least, it's obvious. It hates our freedom.
That would explain why his ping sucks in TF2.
Well, I, for one, wanted to know whether he was wearing shorts, something else, or nothing at all.
message: Ha Ha
Then the gamma ray hits.
Let's start by putting some detectors out in space that ping us every second. When the burst hits the sensors out there in space and destroys them we'll know here on Earth because the pings will stop. Put them out about a light year away and we'll have a whole year to prepare.
See, problem solved.
I think you're absolutely right. We narrowly survived the GWB that occurred in 2000 and will have lasted for 8 yea.... oh..
GRB...
Never mind.
--Coming up with something clever... please wait...
Reminds me of an old joke:
A man has gained an audience with God.
Man: Oh Lord, what is a million years like to you?
God: To me, my son, a million years is but a day.
Man: Oh Lord, what is a million dollars like to you?
God: To me, my son, a million dollars is but a penny.
Man: Oh Lord, would you give me a penny?
God: Tomorrow.