Could Betelgeuse Destroy Earth?

Bright Side

Betelgeuse is a massive red star you can see with your own eyes, and one day it will explode as a supernova. It’s huge, unstable, and already showing signs that it’s nearing the end of its life. The big question is whether that explosion could actually harm Earth—or if it would just put on the brightest space show in history. Scientists say distance matters a lot here, and Betelgeuse sits about 640 light-years away. And in this video, we’ll break down what would really happen if Betelgeuse blows and whether Earth has anything to fear.  Animation is created by Bright Side.  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Music from TheSoul Sound: https://thesoul-sound.com/   Check our Bright Side podcast on Spotify and leave a positive review! https://open.spotify.com/show/0hUkPxD34jRLrMrJux4VxV  Subscribe to Bright Side: https://goo.gl/rQTJZz  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Our Social Media:  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brightplanet/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightside.official  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brightside.official?lang=en   Stock materials (photos, footages and other):  https://www.depositphotos.com  https://www.shutterstock.com  https://www.eastnews.ru  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  For more videos and articles visit: http://www.brightside.me  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  This video is made for entertainment purposes. We do not make any warranties about the completeness, safety and reliability. Any action you take upon the information in this video is strictly at your own risk, and we will not be liable for any damages or losses. It is the viewer's responsibility to use judgement, care and precaution if you plan to replicate.

Transcript

00:01Imagine you're looking up at the sky on a clear night,

00:04and you see all those beautiful stars twinkling up there.

00:08Well, one of them is Betelgeuse, a celebrity among stars.

00:15If you want to catch a glimpse of it, look up at the Orion constellation.

00:19It low-key looks like an archer holding a bow,

00:22and you can spot Betelgeuse as the reddish-orange dot on their shoulder.

00:27It's one of the brightest stars in the sky, so it's hard to miss.

00:32Betelgeuse is not your ordinary star.

00:34First of all, it's gigantic, up to 1,000 times the size of our sun.

00:39Can you imagine that?

00:41It's so enormous that if we could somehow replace our sun with Betelgeuse,

00:45it would engulf all the inner planets, including Earth.

00:49And here's another fun fact.

00:51When we look at Betelgeuse, we're actually looking back in time.

00:55Yep, you heard it right.

00:57Betelgeuse is about 600 light-years away from us,

01:00so the light we see today actually left the star 600 years ago.

01:04It has quite a history.

01:06This star has been shining brightly for millions of years.

01:09Long, long ago, even before smartphones and telescopes,

01:14ancient Sumerians were the first to spot Betelgeuse in the sky,

01:17and it's been a diva this entire time.

01:22For example, in 1866, Betelgeuse became one of the brightest stars in the night sky.

01:28It was so dazzling that people could see it even during the day.

01:32Astronomers all around the world went bananas documenting this extraordinary event.

01:38Since then, Betelgeuse has been playing hide-and-seek with us.

01:42It all started when Betelgeuse started to dim back in 2019.

01:46Since then, it likes to dim and brighten sporadically.

01:49But these changes in brightness tell us about something important.

01:53As we mentioned, Betelgeuse was always a bit of a troublemaker.

01:57It's been living a fast and furious life.

02:01Because of that, it has been burning its fuel at an incredibly fast rate.

02:06The changes in the star's brightness are clues that Betelgeuse is approaching the end of its life cycle.

02:12The drama intensified when the Hubble Space Telescope snapped jaw-dropping images of Betelgeuse,

02:18like it was getting ready to blow its top.

02:22All this made scientists think that the star is close to retiring in a dramatic way.

02:28It's about to go supernova.

02:31So picture a star partying hard, powered by the fusion of hydrogen atoms.

02:36It's like the star's own energy drink.

02:38But just like any party, the fuel starts to run out.

02:42That's when things get interesting.

02:44As the star guzzles up its hydrogen fuel, it slowly begins to run on empty.

02:49It can't sustain itself anymore.

02:51So now, it's time for the grand finale.

02:54This finale is called Supernova.

02:56The star collapses in on itself like a deflating balloon.

03:00The pressure and temperature inside skyrocket to mind-boggling levels.

03:04And this celestial tantrum triggers a colossal bang.

03:08So you can see why observing Betelgeuse is like having a front row seat to the spectacular drama.

03:14But here's the big question.

03:16When will this happen?

03:18Well, the answer is not as simple as setting a timer.

03:21You see, stars have their own schedules.

03:24And Betelgeuse is no different.

03:26It could be tomorrow, or it could be thousands of years from now.

03:31Scientists have come up with only a rough estimate.

03:33They believe that Betelgeuse will go supernova within the next 100,000 years.

03:39Quite a spread, huh?

03:42Sure, that sounds like forever to us, tiny humans.

03:45But in the vastness of the universe, it's just a blink of an eye.

03:50But there's a chance, just a tiny chance, that Betelgeuse could surprise us all and go supernova much sooner.

03:57Considering its dips in brightness, we might be in for a show within the next few hundred years.

04:03We'll just have to wait and see.

04:05Now, if Betelgeuse does go kaboom, what will happen?

04:10We'll get ready for a show like no other folks.

04:12When a star collapses under its own weight, it unleashes a cosmic firework of epic proportions.

04:18The star releases a crazy amount of energy in the form of light and heat.

04:22Betelgeuse's supernova is going to be extra special.

04:25It's like the superstar of supernovas.

04:28It will shine so brightly that it might even outshine the other stars in the sky.

04:33Picture that, Betelgeuse stealing the spotlight.

04:38The show could be so bright that you won't need a telescope to catch a glimpse.

04:42Nope, you'll be able to see it with a naked eye.

04:45It might even be visible during the day, making the sky look like it's hosting the coolest rave ever.

04:51After that, the supernova will keep us entertained for weeks.

04:55It will be like having a second moon in the sky, shining as bright as the full thing.

05:01Imagine that, two moons dancing together in the night.

05:05After several weeks of lighting up the night sky, Betelgeuse's supernova will slowly fade away,

05:10but it would leave behind a souvenir.

05:12An ethereal remnant.

05:14It's like a fading memory of the star's epic performance.

05:18This remnant, too, would slowly fade away over the course of several months.

05:23But it's not just about the light show.

05:25The boom will send out powerful shockwaves, and we might actually feel them right here on Earth.

05:32It's like the universe giving us a gentle tap on the shoulder, saying,

05:36Hey, look at this amazing spectacle.

05:38How dangerous will it be for us?

05:40Well, we know that Betelgeuse's supernova would send dust and gas shooting into the atmosphere.

05:46It's like a big space sneeze.

05:48And this sneeze could cause a decrease in global temperatures.

05:51We're talking serious climate impact here.

05:54It could even lead to a mini ice age.

05:56But these are just assumptions.

05:58We don't know for sure if the consequences will really be that serious.

06:02But, of course, we want to be prepared for this event just in case.

06:07That's why scientists are studying Betelgeuse closely.

06:10But in addition to serious scientific research, astronomers also have a blast of celestial comedy.

06:17Jokes are flying left and right.

06:19Someone has even created a Betelgeuse status account, which you can check yourself.

06:24So, as you can see, the star is keeping us on our toes.

06:29Astronomers keep observing it, and they need our help too.

06:33They want us to keep an eye on Betelgeuse and report any changes we see.

06:37How do you do that?

06:39First off, channel your inner astronomer and observe Betelgeuse.

06:45Take a peek at the star and note down what you see.

06:48Is it twinkling, shining, or feeling a bit dim?

06:51Jot it all down.

06:53Then be a superstar yourself and report your observations to the astronomers.

06:58Your observations will help them track Betelgeuse's journey towards its big supernova moment.

07:04You can also join in on some citizen science projects.

07:07They're super fun and easy, trust me.

07:10One cool project you can jump into is the Betelgeuse Brightness Monitor.

07:14By participating, you help scientists keep tabs on how bright Betelgeuse is shining.

07:19Your contribution can make a real difference.

07:22So join the monitoring team.

07:24You'll be part of something amazing, and who knows?

07:27Your observations might even help predict when Betelgeuse will show off its supernova magic.

07:34By doing that, we can assist them in monitoring this superstar and learn more about the fascinating world of stars.

07:40But that's how we can help scientists to predict this event.

07:43Now, how can you personally prepare for it?

07:48First things first, you'll need the right gear to catch all the supernova action.

07:52A trusty telescope is like your front row ticket to the starry show.

07:56It'll bring you up close and personal with Betelgeuse's performance.

08:00And remember, you'll need special eyewear to shield your eyes from the intense burst of light.

08:06Safety first.

08:07And of course, prepare in case it decides to mess with our climate.

08:12Stock up on essentials, like warm clothes and supplies, just in case we experience a mini ice age.

08:18But let's just hope it won't happen.

08:20So keep your eyes on the night sky, my friends.

08:23Betelgeuse may not be ready to blow up just yet, but when it does, it will be a sight to behold.

08:30Until then, let's enjoy the twinkling stars.

08:33And remember, there's always something extraordinary happening in the vastness of space.

08:40Hey, listen up, there's a red alert.

08:44NASA supercomputers have calculated that there are only 2,021 years left until the end of the Earth.

08:52Our planet is about to…

08:54Oh, wait a minute.

08:55Oops, I'm sorry.

08:56I thought these zeros were a mistake.

08:58Well, the research actually says 1 billion 2,021 years in the future.

09:04Whew, that's a relief.

09:06Breathe normally.

09:07Still, this means that our planet officially has an expiration date.

09:14And no, this is not science fiction.

09:16It's a very real study that shows how, why, and when life on Earth will end.

09:23So thanks to NASA and Japan's Toho University, we can now mark the calendar.

09:29It'll happen in around a billion years.

09:31But what about how and why?

09:33Well, even as recently as the early 20th century, scientists still didn't know what powered the Sun.

09:40One of the first big ideas was that the Sun was basically a giant piece of charcoal.

09:45Just a huge ball of fire burning some kind of fuel.

09:48But that was easy to rule out.

09:50At the rate the Sun puts out energy, it would have burned through that kind of fuel in just a few thousand years.

09:56And even back then, geologists and paleontologists already agreed that Earth was at least 100 million years old, if not more.

10:05That meant the chemical burning couldn't have possibly kept the Sun shining for that long.

10:10So, scientists turned to another, more nerdy theory.

10:15Gravitational contraction.

10:17This idea was that the Sun shines because of its own weight.

10:21Its gravity pulls all the gas inward, squeezing itself tighter and tighter.

10:26It's kind of like warming your hands by rubbing them together.

10:29We know that gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn are slightly contracting under their own weight and giving off more heat than they get from the Sun.

10:39So, yeah, gravitational contraction, also known as the Kelvin-Hemmholtz mechanism, is very much real.

10:46But it's not what powers the Sun.

10:48When researchers did the math, it showed the Sun could only shine like that for about 20 to 30 million years.

10:55Eventually, scientists learned that the real secret behind the Sun's power and longevity was something way more powerful – nuclear fusion.

11:04Now, deep inside the Sun, it's unbelievably hot.

11:07We're talking 27 million degrees Fahrenheit.

11:10And it's under crazy pressure because the Sun is so big and heavy.

11:15All that heat and pressure squashes hydrogen atoms and forces them to stick together.

11:21When four hydrogen atoms get squished hard enough, they turn into something new – a helium atom.

11:27When that happens, a little bit of their mass turns into energy, and that's what becomes sunlight and heat.

11:34For centuries, people feared the Sun would someday go cold.

11:38And that will happen. Eventually.

11:41About 5 billion years from now, our star will run out of hydrogen, and gravity will take over.

11:47But long before that, Earth will already be toast.

11:51According to a NASA life extinction prediction, our planet will become a scorched, uninhabitable rock, not because the Sun will go out, but because it will burn too hot.

12:01It turns out that those old apocalyptic ideas were not completely off.

12:07The Sun will destroy life on Earth, just not by going cold.

12:11But why?

12:12Well, it's because, with time, the Sun is getting brighter.

12:16And I'm not talking about its mood.

12:18It releases more energy.

12:20It's a slow, natural side effect of the nuclear fusion we just mentioned.

12:24Deep in the core, the Sun has been fusing hydrogen into helium for billions of years.

12:31But as more helium piles up, the core gets denser and hotter.

12:36Think of it like a pressure cooker.

12:38The more pressure builds up inside, the more heat rises from within.

12:42That extra heat speeds up fusion, which means more energy gets released, and the Sun starts shining just a little bit brighter.

12:50It's not dramatic, we won't notice it in a lifetime.

12:54But the future-proof androids we're gonna build just might.

12:58With time, the extra heat adds up.

13:00The Sun is already about 30% brighter than when the Earth was born.

13:05But life decline is going to happen much, much earlier, even before the given deadline.

13:11As the Sun keeps cranking up the heat, Earth is gonna sweat.

13:15The extra sunlight raises global temperatures to the point where the ocean surfaces hit around 117 degrees Fahrenheit.

13:23That's hot enough to mess with the planet's entire climate system.

13:27Water vapor begins to rise from the oceans and accumulate in the upper atmosphere.

13:32This causes even more heat to be trapped, creating a thick, humid layer around Earth.

13:38Scientists refer to this ongoing cycle as the moist greenhouse effect.

13:43The rising temperatures aren't just drying out our planet.

13:46They're also harming plants.

13:48Plants rely on carbon dioxide from the air to grow and thrive.

13:52However, as Earth warms up, certain natural processes can take too much carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.

14:00When that happens, there won't be enough CO2 left for plants to survive.

14:05Forests will disappear first, then grasslands, bushes, and even the toughest plants that usually handle extreme heat.

14:12This all will lead to oxygen collapse, because plants and CO2 are crucial for photosynthesis.

14:19In simple terms, this is how plants use sunlight, along with water and carbon dioxide, to create their own energy and produce oxygen as a waste product.

14:28Right now, oxygen makes up about 21% of Earth's atmosphere.

14:33But once it drops below even 1%, complex life as we know it will most likely disappear.

14:40Earth's biosphere will shrink to just a few microbes and extremophiles, hiding deep underground.

14:47But even they won't last long.

14:50It's worth noting that scientists ran two versions of the simulation.

14:53One with life, like we have today, and one with none at all.

14:57Surprisingly, both worlds lost their oxygen at about the same time, around 1 billion years from now.

15:04That means plant life and photosynthesis do help, but they're not the main thing keeping oxygen in the atmosphere.

15:11It's actually a long-term chemical battle between volcanic gases and rocks that gradually soak up oxygen like a sponge.

15:20And even after most life is gone, the heat will keep going, causing oceans to boil.

15:26Not all at once, but slowly and steadily, the oceans will begin to evaporate into the atmosphere.

15:32But that vapor won't just come back down as rain like it does now.

15:36Why?

15:37The atmosphere will be too hot and thick for that.

15:40Instead, sunlight will start breaking the water apart, and hydrogen will escape into space permanently.

15:47Once it's gone, it's gone for good.

15:50Basically, instead of raining back down, Earth's water will slowly leak into space until there's nothing left.

15:57Even before the last puddles vanish, life under the sea will be long gone.

16:02Once the balance of temperature and oxygen is lost, not even the hardiest ocean life can hold on.

16:09In the end, Earth will become something we can barely recognize – a dry, lifeless rock.

16:15There will be no water, no oxygen, and no life left.

16:19The oceans will be gone.

16:21The atmosphere will be thin and toxic.

16:23Even the most resilient microbes will have disappeared.

16:26However, the Sun will still shine in the sky.

16:30Earth will keep orbiting, just like always.

16:33It'll still be a planet, just without life.

16:36But long before that cosmic finale, Earth will already be uninhabitable.

16:41Which raises the big question.

16:43So, what could future humans do about all this?

16:46Well, escaping sun radiation and extinction might end up being humanity's biggest engineering challenge yet.

16:53Maybe we'll build massive space colonies and leap from planet to planet, staying just ahead of the Sun's deadly heat.

17:01Even if we terraform Mars, making it more Earth-like so we can inhabit it, it'll still be cooking in the same solar oven, just on a lower shelf.

17:10Or maybe we'll live in giant rotating space habitats, like O'Neill Cylinders, floating many worlds with gravity and recycled air, water, and energy to support long-term survival.

17:22Those could drift farther and farther from the Sun as things heat up.

17:26Or who knows?

17:27Maybe we'll upload our minds to the cosmic cloud or hop into a higher dimension and watch the universe like it's, you know, Netflix.

17:35Okay, this is definitely too nerdy, and we're going deep into sci-fi territory.

17:41But whatever the solution may be,

17:43humankind has a long time ahead to figure out how to survive the eventual end of Earth and life.

17:49Or maybe even preserve it, in whatever form it takes.

17:55That's it for today.

17:56So hey, if you pacified your curiosity, then give the video a like and share it with your friends.

18:01Or if you want more, just click on these videos and stay on the Bright Side!

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