Gamma ray bursts are the most energetic explosions in the universe, releasing more energy in seconds than the Sun will emit over its entire 10 billion year lifetime; these directional events could destroy Earth's ozone layer and trigger mass extinction if one occurred within a few thousand light years, as potentially happened during the Ordovician extinction 450 million years ago.
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The Most Powerful Explosions in the Universe Could Sterilize an Entire Galaxy. π₯ #ShortsAdded:
A gamma ray burst releases more energy in seconds than the Sun will emit in its entire 10 billion year life.
It is the most violent event the universe produces.
A long gamma ray burst is directional.
It fires a focused beam.
If one within our galaxy pointed directly at Earth, we would have no warning and no defense.
A burst within a few thousand light years would destroy the ozone layer across the hemisphere it struck.
Mass extinction would follow as UV radiation flooded the surface.
The Ordovician extinction, which killed 85% of Earth's species 450 million years ago, may have been triggered by a gamma ray burst.
We may have nearly been erased before complex life truly began.
There are stars in our galaxy right now that could produce a gamma ray burst.
The probability of one being aimed at us is low.
But low probability and zero probability are not the same thing.
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