Study Maps Trillion-Year Earth Survival Plan With 2 Million-Km Sunshade Tether
Updated
Updated · Greek Reporter · Aug 4
Study Maps Trillion-Year Earth Survival Plan With 2 Million-Km Sunshade Tether
3 articles · Updated · Greek Reporter · Aug 4
Summary
A new study argues Earth could remain habitable for trillions of years instead of being abandoned when the Sun swells into a red giant in about 1 billion years.
The proposal centers on a giant sunshade at Lagrange Point 1, potentially anchored by a 2 million-kilometer carbon tether, using material from Ceres and part of the Moon.
Jupiter would supply hydrogen and helium for fusion reactors whose energy could be relayed back to Earth as artificial sunlight after the shield blocks natural light.
Earth would also be pushed into a wider orbit with a continuous oxygen-particle beam from Jupiter, while small antimatter deliveries to the core could sustain tectonic heat.
The authors frame the ideas as physics-based thought experiments far beyond current technology, arguing preserving Earth may ultimately cost less energy than moving humanity to another star system.