100-light-year proximity supernova could emit harmful radiation threatening Earth life.
A nearby exploding star's radiation could potentially threaten Earth life if it occurs within 100 light years. Stars like the Sun are stable, but more massive ones die in supernovas, which happen across the Milky Way a few times a century. To impact Earth, a supernova must occur close by. The author, an astronomer, emphasizes that such an event is rare, but it could emit torrents of radiation that could endanger life on our planet.
March 29, 2024
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