The universe – a concept that just hearing it evokes in us a vastness, infinity and too many unexplored gaps. Before coming to 10 scary facts about the universe, remember that we humans have only had knowledge and learned about the universe for the past few thousand years, and in that time, we only understand about 5% of the universe, including normal matter (like stars, planets and galaxies).
The remaining 95% includes dark matter (27%), which we cannot see but know exists due to its gravitational influence, and dark energy (68%), a mysterious force that drives the acceleration of the expansion of the universe. While the actual age of the universe we are currently living in is about 13.8 million years.
Welcome to 10 terrifying facts about space that will make you think twice before you look up at the stars.
Scary Space Fact #1: Our universe is slowly being sucked away
The Great Attractor is a gravitational anomaly located in the Laniakea Supercluster, which is the supercluster of galaxies that includes our own Milky Way. This anomaly appears to be a region in space that exerts a strong gravitational pull, influencing the motion of galaxies over hundreds of millions of light-years. The Great Attractor itself is located roughly 150 to 250 million light-years away from Earth in the direction of the Centaurus and Hydra constellations. The term “Great Attractor” comes from the fact that this region appears to be drawing nearby galaxies, including our Milky Way, toward it. Observations of the velocities of galaxies in our local group (and beyond) show that they are moving toward a point in space with a velocity of about 600 km/s (around 1.3 million miles per hour). In short, our galaxy is slowly being sucked into a cosmic vacuum cleaner whose gravity is almost unstoppable. It looks like a grim fate for our blue planet in the next few million years.
Scary Space Fact #2: Solarstorm
Imagine something originating from the universe that could knock us back to the Stone Age, turning all scientific and technological products into waste, there are many forces powerful enough to do this, but let’s mention “Solar Storm” first. A solar storm, or solar energetic particle (SEP) event, occurs when the Sun releases a burst of high-energy particles, such as protons and electrons, along with an associated coronal mass ejection (CME) — a massive burst of solar wind and magnetic fields rising above the solar corona or being released into space. Solar storms can interact with Earth’s magnetic field, causing geomagnetic storms. These storms can lead to stunning auroras (Northern and Southern Lights) but can also disrupt communication systems, GPS signals, and power grids. In extreme cases, they might cause power outages and damage to satellites.
Here are some reasons why solar storms could be one of the destroyers of our civilized world.
- Solar storms can interact with Earth’s magnetic field, causing geomagnetic storms.
- Solar storms can also disrupt communication systems, GPS signals, and power grids. In extreme cases, they might cause power outages and damage to satellites.
- High-energy particles from solar storms can pose radiation hazards to astronauts in space, increasing their risk of health issues such as cancer and radiation sickness.
- Passengers and crew on high-altitude flights, especially near the poles, can be exposed to increased levels of radiation during solar storms.
Scary Space Fact #3: Meteor/Asteroid impact
The main culprit that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs 66 million years ago was none other than an asteroid crashing into our earth. The asteroid, named Chicxulub, is named after the location where it hit the surface of our Earth, creating a crater more than 180km in diameter and about 20km deep, with the diameter of the meteorite being about 10-15km (equivalent to the length of the entire city of Manhattan, USA).
The energy released caused a huge explosion, leading to the formation of the Chicxulub crater and creating high temperatures, shock waves and fires. It is estimated that the energy released from this collision was about 10^8 to 10^9 megatons of TNT, equivalent to 100 million times the power of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima city in World War II.
However, it was not this collision that wiped out the dinosaurs, but the catastrophic effects that followed, such as a “nuclear winter” scenario, extreme climate change, and the blocking of sunlight by dust and toxic gases, causing ecological damage. As giant creatures, dinosaurs had almost no way to adapt to changes of this level, leading to the extinction of this majestic species.
Fortunately, thanks to modern technology and the minds working tirelessly in the field of space exploration, we can sleep soundly. Special agencies like NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO), the European Space Agency (ESA), and various observatories around the world monitor near-Earth objects (NEOs) are always on the lookout for these events. They use equipment such as telescopes or expeditions to determine the risk of collision between Earth and other planets. And if there are stars or asteroids scheduled to “visit” Earth, our space agencies always consider options to intercept them from afar, or to influence these visitors to change their course.
Scary Space Fact #4: Gamma-Ray Bursts
In gamma-ray astronomy, gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are incredibly powerful explosions observed in far-off galaxies. They are the most intense and bright explosions in the universe, according to NASA, making them the “most powerful class of explosions.” GRBs are the biggest bursts of energy and light since the Big Bang. These bursts can last anywhere from just a few milliseconds to several hours. After the initial flash of gamma rays, they produce an “afterglow” that can be seen in various other wavelengths, such as X-rays, ultraviolet, visible light, infrared, microwaves, and radio waves
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Origins:
- Short-Duration GRBs: These are thought to be caused by the merger of compact objects such as neutron stars or a neutron star and a black hole.
- Long-Duration GRBs: These are believed to result from the collapse of massive stars (supernovae or hypernovae) into black holes, often associated with the formation of gamma-ray jets.
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Characteristics:
- Duration: GRBs can last from a fraction of a second to several minutes.
- Intensity: GRBs release more energy in a few seconds than the Sun will emit over its entire 10-billion-year lifetime. They emit gamma rays, which are highly energetic photons.
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Detection:
- Observations: GRBs are detected by space-based telescopes that monitor high-energy radiation, such as NASA’s Swift and Fermi satellites. They are often observed as brief but intense flashes of gamma rays.
Potential Effects on Earth
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- Radiation Exposure: A GRB occurring within a few thousand light-years of Earth could deliver a significant dose of gamma radiation. This radiation could interact with the Earth’s atmosphere, potentially leading to the production of nitrogen oxides, which can deplete the ozone layer.
- Ozone Depletion: Damage to the ozone layer would reduce the Earth’s protection from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the Sun. Increased UV radiation could harm living organisms, particularly those on the surface and in shallow waters.
- Biological Effects: Elevated levels of UV radiation due to ozone layer depletion could lead to increased rates of skin cancer, cataracts, and other health issues in humans, as well as impact ecosystems by affecting plant life and marine organisms.
- Temperature Changes: The loss of ozone could result in short-term climate changes, including cooling effects due to the reduced shielding from solar radiation. However, the extent and duration of these changes would depend on the severity of the ozone depletion.
Scary Space Fact #5: Black Hole
A black hole is a point in space with an incredibly strong gravitational field. This gravity is so powerful that it warps space and time around it, creating a region from which nothing can escape once it crosses a boundary known as the event horizon. Black holes are often considered some of the most dangerous objects in the universe due to their extreme gravitational pull and the effects they can have on their surroundings. However, whether they are the most dangerous depends on the context and the proximity to them.
Black holes forms from a stellar collapse, when a massive star (at least 20 times the mass of the Sun) exhausts its nuclear fuel, it can no longer support itself against its own gravity. The core collapses, and if the remaining mass is sufficient, it forms a black hole. Or in some other circumstances, the outer layers of the star are often expelled in a supernova explosion, while the core continues collapsing into a black hole.
The power of a black hole
- Black holes have an event horizon, a boundary beyond which nothing, not even light, can escape. Anything that crosses this boundary is pulled in by the black hole’s immense gravity and crushed to an infinitely small point known as the singularity.
- Spaghettification: Objects that get too close to a black hole are stretched and torn apart by its tidal forces, a process known as spaghettification.
- Accretion Disks: Material falling into a black hole forms an accretion disk, which can become extremely hot and emit intense radiation, including X-rays and gamma rays. These emissions can be harmful to nearby objects.
- Relativistic Jets: Some black holes, especially supermassive ones at the centers of galaxies, can produce powerful jets of particles moving close to the speed of light, which can affect their environment over vast distances.
- Collisions and Mergers: When two black holes merge, they emit gravitational waves—ripples in the fabric of space-time. While these waves do not pose a direct threat to Earth, they are powerful enough to be detected across vast distances and demonstrate the incredible energy black holes can release.
The above can be considered the 5 scariest facts about the universe that every time they are mentioned, they will inevitably startle many people. The fear of these phenomena not only lies in the fear of their appearance, but also arouses a secret fear deep within humanity – fear of things that are too magnificent and beyond our understanding.