“New evidence suggests supernovas could pose a greater threat to life than previously thought”

Supernovas have long been the subject of intense interest and research because of the spectacular bursts of energy they produce. But new evidence gathered by NASA’s Chandra Observatory suggests it could pose a greater threat to life than previously thought.

In Leyman’s terms, a supernova is what happens when a star reaches the end of its life — exploding with a very powerful burst of light. It can emit more energy than our sun in its lifetime.

Harriet Brewis on the Indy 100 page said, “Supernovas are considered one of the original sources of elements heavier than iron in the universe.”

“Even the iron in your blood can be traced back to a supernova or similar cosmic explosion long before our Sun formed,” added the US Department of Energy, DOE on its website.

However, we should not only feel grateful for this celestial phenomenon, we should also feel a little concerned.

Observations of 31 Supernovas conducted at the Chandra Observatory show that strong X-rays from exploding stars can have a devastating effect on planets up to 160 light years away.

This is because while the initial supernova burst fades within a few weeks, the X-rays it produces can linger for months or even decades, and extend farther than the explosion itself.

While these harmful rays probably won’t reach the surface of planets like Earth, with their oxygen-rich atmospheres, they will produce chemicals that are highly damaging to the ozone layer, IFL Science has shown.

In effect, this would allow ultraviolet light from the planet’s star (in our case, the sun) to infiltrate the biosphere, meaning humans and animals were unlikely to survive outside of the deep ocean or underground.

“This event, while rare, maintains an important influence on the galactic radiation environment and poses a major threat to the terrestrial biosphere because its ionizing radiation can cause significant changes in the atmospheric chemistry of planets at great distances,” the study noted.

However, to quote The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, don’t panic. Connor O’Mahoney of the University of Illinois, said the Earth is not in any danger from an event like this now, as there are no potential supernovae within the X-ray danger zone.