Scientists Say Earth May Avoid Being Engulfed by the Sun
A new scientific study suggests that Earth may not be swallowed by the Sun as it reaches the final stages of its life, revising earlier long-held predictions.
The Sun is expected to enter a red giant phase in about five billion years, after exhausting the hydrogen fuel in its core. During this process, it will expand significantly before eventually shrinking into a white dwarf.
Previously, scientists believed that Earth would likely be pulled into the Sun due to increasing gravitational and tidal forces as the star expands. However, updated models indicate that the outcome may not be so certain.
Researchers explain that two competing effects will shape Earth’s fate: the Sun’s expanding tidal forces, which could draw the planet inward, and the loss of solar mass through stellar winds, which could push Earth into a wider orbit.
According to the new findings, improved calculations of tidal interactions suggest that these forces may be weaker than previously estimated. This increases the possibility that Earth could drift further away rather than be consumed.
The study also notes that while Earth and Mars may avoid being engulfed, the inner planets Mercury and Venus are still expected to be absorbed as the Sun expands.
After its red giant phase, the Sun will eventually collapse into a dense white dwarf, gradually cooling and fading over time.
Researchers emphasize that these events are extremely distant and will occur billions of years in the future, long after conditions on Earth have already changed significantly.
