[Kosh]

http://science.slashdot.org/science/08/03/04/1847251.shtml


From Cosmic Rays of DOOM!!!!! (TM)

[achtung]

In a few hundred thousand years.

[Mefustae]

In a few hundred thousand years.

Given the constraints of the speed of light, we wouldn't exactly know until it hit us, right? I mean, theoretically, a burst could have occured 65,000 years ago from a star 65,001 light years away, and we wouldn't know about it until we were sizzling like eggs in a frying pan.

[achtung]

In a few hundred thousand years.

Given the constraints of the speed of light, we wouldn't exactly know until it hit us, right? I mean, theoretically, a burst could have occured 65,000 years ago from a star 65,001 light years away, and we wouldn't know about it until we were sizzling like eggs in a frying pan.

Yeah, but apparently they're predicting it will take a hundred thousand years or so for the star to go supernova.  I know those types of predictions are sometimes horribly inaccurate, but let's hope that this one is accurate. 

Of course, it could happen in the next five minutes.  Who knows?

[jdjtcagle]

So that's why Shivans blew up Capella...

That's going to suck by the time we build the portal

[blackhole]

Its kind of unnerving knowing that earth is staring straight down the axis of a possible gamma-ray burst. Sure, it probably won't happen anytime soon, but its still creepy as hell.

Good way to cause mass panic though.

On a side-note, this is the most effective topic title I've ever seen

[haloboy100]

On a side-note, this is the most effective topic title I've ever seen

Agreed.

[Nuke]

of course were all gonna die, thats normal

[blowfish]

Doncha just love gamma rays of DOOM?

No but seriously it is highly improbable that any of us will be around when this happens, or when the radiation reaches earth (that's assuming earth is actually in the path).

[blackhole]

Or it could have exploded 15000 years ago and the gamma rays are going to hit us in 3... 2... 1...

Naw.

[feltoar]

The article first says that the gamma rays could remove our ozone layer. Then it says weve already been hit. Which is it? We still have ozone...

[Mefustae]

The article first says that the gamma rays could remove our ozone layer. Then it says weve already been hit. Which is it? We still have ozone...

We were hit during the Ordovician. Ordovician =/= Now.

[Zoltan]

We still have ozone...

Or do we?
[/conspiracy]

[feltoar]

The article first says that the gamma rays could remove our ozone layer. Then it says weve already been hit. Which is it? We still have ozone...

We were hit during the Ordovician. Ordovician =/= Now.

I know that. But we have been told our ozone is irreplacable. Either it is or we werent hit by ozone reducing gamma rays.

[Mefustae]

I know that. But we have been told our ozone is irreplacable. Either it is or we werent hit by ozone reducing gamma rays.

Ozone is constantly being generated by a reaction involving unstable oxygen gas molecules reacting with the increased ultraviolet radiation in the upper atmosphere. It just takes place real slow-like, so for all intents and purposes the damage us humans do with CFCs and such permanent in our limited timeframe.

150+ million years is a rather different story. But regardless, if thinking it's irreplaceable keeps people from making the holes any bigger, then i'm completely happy to let that little piece of misinformation go uncorrected.

[feltoar]

Thanks for the nugget of info. I assumed as much but decided to make a joke about it...

[Ashrak]

its infinitely more likely we stray in the path of a black hole and get BBQ'd that way.

[achtung]

its infinitely more likely we stray in the path of a black hole and get BBQ'd that way.

Wouldn't we be ripped apart that way? 

[IceyJones]

first ripped apart and THEN BBQed

[Colonol Dekker]

Like popcorn chicken. Yum. Wouldn't it be nice if we all ended up like the fantastic 4 through some twist of chance. (Fate's overrated)