“Hey, Daddy, did you know that in five or six million years the Sun is going to explode.”
“It’s five or six billion years, with a ‘b.'”
“Right, in five or six billion years, the Sun’s going to explode.”
“Well, a star like our Sun won’t really explode. It’ll swell up really big, probably swallow the Earth, and then kind of… go out.”
“Right, and then it would be dark all the time. So we’d need to build a really big lamp.”
“Well, in five or six billion years, maybe we’d just build a new star.”
“How would we do that?”
“Well, you know, you just get a really big bunch of hydrogen together.”
“Oh, right, and gravity pulls it in and it heats up and then makes a star.”
“Exactly.”
“Yeah. so, that’s why we have scientists. Scientists who are, like, working on how to make stars, and make them really big. So we can make a new star when the Sun goes out.”
“In five or six billion years, sure.”
“That’s a good idea. That’s a better idea than building a big lamp. Because a big lamp would need a really big light bulb, and light bulbs burn out. A star is better than a lamp.”
“Right.”
“So, if the Sun goes out, what will happen to all the people?”
“What people?”
“You know… people. I mean, I know I won’t still be alive. And you definitely won’t still be alive. But what will happen to, you know, the other people?”
“Well, before the Sun goes out, it will swell up really big. We’re not exactly sure how big, but probably about the size of the Earth’s orbit, so the sun will burn up the Earth before it goes out.”
“But what will happen to the other planets?”
“Well, the Sun will get about big enough to swallow the Earth, but I don’t think it’ll get Mars. And Jupiter and Saturn and Uranus and Neptune will stay just where they are.”
“Oh.”
“But, you know, by that time, there might be people living on Jupiter, and they’d be fine.”
“How could you live on Jupiter? It’s a gas giant. They’d just fall right into it.”
“Sure, but you could build floating cities, or something.”
“Oh, right. But you’d need to send the builders first. To make the city. And also some girls.”
“What?”
“Girls are the ones who have the babies, right? So you would need to send some girls to Jupiter with the builders, to have babies so there would be more people.”
“Yeah, but some of the builders would be girls, right? I mean, girls like to build stuff, right?”
“Well, obviously. I build stuff, and I want to be a builder who, like, uses science to build things. And make them better and stuff.”
“That’s a good plan, honey. You do that.”
“Yeah, and then when the Sun goes out, we can make a new star, for the people living on Jupiter.”
“Sure. Of course, by that time, people might be living on other planets around other stars.”
“Oh, right. So maybe we could just, you know, grab one of those. Or maybe one will just come along and take the place of the Sun after it goes out.”
“Maybe.”
“You know, because space has a way of doing things.”
“Yes it does, honey, yes it does.”
Very cool. You’re a lucky man.
Oh, and this:
“And you definitely won’t still be alive.”
Ouch – that left a mark. 🙂
Remember, there is an xkcd for everything. https://xkcd.com/1202/
Who’s educating who here?
Now if someone would only do a video of the end of the sun as seen from Mars.
Please take note that this is for an assignment.
The future is ambiguous, who knows what we will have invented, or what it holds. The sun reaching its inevitable end will be a problem that our descendants will need to solve. The size of the “swelling” sun can only be calculated later in its existence. Hopefully they figure it out.
I agree with Lord, someone should make a video that explains what would happen if the sun goes out.
It is interesting and amazing to see that children are interested in the future of the universe. Their vast imagination is mind-blowing. These are the future leaders of tomorrow and it is satisfying to know that they will be good leaders in terms of their knowledge. However the truth of the above statements is unknown because of the ever- transforming universe. The future of mankind is uncertain.
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Children are very techniologically advanced at the present. They seem to learn more than adults. Let’s hope this continues to ensure a bright future.
He has such a vast imagination. Let’s hope that mankind is still alive at such a time.
when the sun goes out..what will happen to the solar system? Will it be destroyed or what?
student number: 15077332
Well, since nature is unpredictable and science is based on guess work phenomenon…i do not think that this will happen or even if it happens evolutionary processes would have taken place that all human being would be extinct… can anyone make me believe this?
Scientists are always wrong when coming to nature prediction…in support of my argument,they said that the would will end in 2012 but it didnt..thus am supporting your statement Given.
however it is an interesting story.
That is a great science story though
scientific guess work phenomenon tends to be true but sometimes false ….its unfortunate that all present day humans will also be dead when that era comes….thus its difficult to can proof it
This is a great scientific discovery and yet threatening the future of the universe…what is the name of science that studies stars?
kids are very intelligent if you don’t know its just the matter of how they grew up which determines if the intelligence is maintained or what.
This is an intellectual discovery of science ever…determining the size and position of the sun being in so much distance away from it must have surely taken culmination of many scientists thoughts and hard working………this is fascinating and awesome.
I heart this conversation so much it makes my cells tingle!