A Supernova Destroyed' Some of Earth's Ozone for a Few Minutes in 2022
Astronomers have discovered that a supernova explosion 1.9 billion light-years away caused a temporary depletion of ozone in Earth's upper atmosphere.
The gamma ray burst from the supernova resulted in a measurable change in the number of ionized particles in the atmosphere, including ozone molecules.
While the effect was only detectable for a few minutes and the ozone repaired itself, a closer supernova explosion could have catastrophic consequences for Earth's ozone layer. [ more ]
Explosion Light-Years Away Could Obliterate Life on Earth, Scientists Find
A kilonova, resulting from the collision of two neutron stars, could pose a major threat to Earth-like planets, even at significant interstellar distances.
A kilonova about 16 light-years from Earth could generate enough of an X-ray afterglow to ionize our atmosphere and pose a risk to life on Earth. [ more ]