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Earth's Period of Habitability Is Nearly Over

Posted by kdawson on from the nice-while-it-lasts dept.

xp65 writes "Scientists at this year's XXVIIth General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil agree that we do not yet know how ubiquitous or how fragile life is, but that: 'The Earth's period of habitability is nearly over on a cosmological timescale. In a half to one billion years the Sun will start to be too luminous and warm for water to exist in liquid form on Earth, leading to a runaway greenhouse effect in less than 2 billion years.' Other surprising claims from this conference: that the Sun may not be the ideal kind of star to nurture life, and that the Earth may not be the ideal size."

4 of 756 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Dang! Things were just getting fun by youn · · Score: 0, Redundant

    we've been 10 years away from cold fusion for the last 50 years :)... same with helium 3 (at a level where we actually get out more than we take in)

    --
    Never antropomorphize computers, they do not like that :p
  2. Re:Repent sinners for the end is nigh by MartinSchou · · Score: 0, Redundant

    You thought Bear Grylls had a weird name? You should meet his brother-in-law, Wolf Stir-Fry

  3. Re:Depending on who you believe by geekoid · · Score: 0, Redundant

    I know tyour being funny, well I HOPE your being funny, but the Book or Revelation doesn't say that.

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  4. Re:Dang! Things were just getting fun by jebrew · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Please mod parent up...people reading propaganda should at least be able to see the comment of truth!