NPR: It's the End of the World, and They Know It

It's the End of the World, and They Know It

Filed under: City Living, Personal/Private, The Best Song In The World Today

Solar flares: I suppose you could say they're pretty.

Call me Vic Chestnutt, but I'm kind of about to choke.

The New York Times reports on a new theory that the Earth will meet its demise by getting sucked into the sun. "Kissing the Earth Goodbye in About 7.59 Billion Years," the paper warns. As it renders the theory: "Earth will be dragged from its orbit by an engorged red Sun and spiral to a rapid vaporous death."

A few weeks back, I read Cormac McCarthy's novel The Road, a post-apocalyptic tale peopled by cannibals and a few desperate moral souls. The book's protagonist is a dying father trying to save his son. Never mind the movie rights -- this thing already plays behind my closed eyelids. The last thing I needed was for actual science to pile on.

Riding to my rescue in half an hour is astrophysicist to the (radio) stars Summer Ash. She promises the news is not so bad. I'm aiming to share the interview on Thursday's show. (UPDATE: Have to hold this until Friday's show.)

Laura Conaway

1:22 PM ET | 03-12-2008 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

7.59 Billion years? I think we can consider ourselves lucky if the human species can last for another thousand, let alone ten thousand years.

Sent by Will G | 3:33 PM ET | 03-12-2008

So what is going to happen to our fair planet between now and then? Is our orbit expanding or contracting? Is our rotation speeding up or slowing down? By the time 7 billion years go by we could very well be out where Jupiter is today with Miami permanently facing the sun. Maybe getting swallowed into a red giant will come as a relief.

Sent by Dave Wiley | 5:02 PM ET | 03-12-2008

How cool would it be if the BPP could inform it's faithful blog readers of pending interviews in advance and give us the opportunity to propose questions? This would not only cement the BPP's role as one of NPR's most interactive programs, but would also allow you guys to take credit for our work. Maybe you could even catch a few extra minutes of sleep.

Sent by Dave Wiley | 6:03 PM ET | 03-12-2008

Dave, if any of your questions are not answered by my conversation with Laura, I'm happy to be your on-call astrophysicist. ;)

Sent by Summer | 8:03 PM ET | 03-12-2008

Even though it's not expected to happen in another 7.59 billion years, Earth's demise by being pulled into a swollen red giant sun is no different, as many longtime Superman fans know, from the demise of the Man of Steel's native planet, Krypton.

Krypton's sun was also a red giant and its gravity eventually pulled Krypton out of its orbit and sending it hurtling toward it. But the the planet exploded long before it was to plunge into the giant star.

When the time comes that Earth's sun swells into a red giant, I suppose Earth will also explode.

Sent by Skeeter Sanders | 7:17 AM ET | 03-13-2008

Always happy to see a Vic Chesnutt reference on the blog. Keep 'em coming...

Sent by andy carvin, npr | 1:23 PM ET | 03-13-2008

Actually, the Milky Way Galaxy is supposed to crash into the Andromeda Galaxy before that. If Summer doesn't agree, write me to drag out my most recent astronomy book (or university professor)

Sent by d | 12:53 PM ET | 03-18-2008

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