5 to 7 Billion Years From Now:
- The sun, depleting its supply of hydrogen and helium, will swell into a red giant.
- Its size will grow to 256 times its current diameter, engulfing the inner solar system.
5 Million Years After Becoming a Red Giant:
- The sun’s expansion will swallow Mercury and Venus.
- Earth will experience extreme heat, rendering its carbon cycle inactive.
- Plants will perish due to the lack of carbon dioxide, halting oxygen production.
- The oxygen shortage will kill mammals and birds, leaving only oxygen-efficient species alive temporarily.
Insects and Microbial Life:
- As temperatures climb, insects will perish.
- Only hardy microbial life and tardigrades (capable of withstanding extreme radiation and heat) will endure.
Surface Changes:
- Earth’s temperature will exceed 2,400 K (2,130°C or 3,860°F).
- Atmospheric loss will strip the planet of protective layers.
- The surface will transform into a barren landscape dominated by metal oxides.
- Torrential rains, violent winds, and extreme radiation will render Earth inhospitable.
Oceans and Tectonic Activity:
- Rising temperatures will evaporate all oceans, leaving behind a lava-covered surface.
- Without water, Earth’s tectonic plates will cease moving.
7.6 Billion Years From Now:
- The expanding red giant will engulf Earth and the moon, obliterating them entirely.
- A new habitable zone will form in the Kuiper Belt, beyond Neptune’s orbit.
- Icy worlds in this zone will melt, creating potential homes for human settlements.
- Neptune’s moon Triton and the dwarf planet Eris are prime candidates for colonization.
1 Quadrillion Years From Now:
- The sun, having completed its red giant phase, will evolve into a black dwarf.
- The once-vital star will shrink into a cold, Earth-sized object, no longer providing heat or light.
The Next Frontier
As Earth and its neighboring planets become uninhabitable, the outer solar system could become humanity’s sanctuary. With advanced technology, humans may establish thriving colonies on Neptune’s moons or dwarf planets in the Kuiper Belt, ensuring the survival of life long after Earth’s demise.
