Hypothetical scenario: The Sun vanishes

BitVyper · 09-03-2009, 08:10 PM

Suddenly one day the Sun is instantly encased in a paper thin, mass-less, indestructable sphere that absorbs all the energy and light it gives off. Effectively, the Sun is gone. How long does it take for Earth to become uninhabitable? What will be going on here in the darkness during that time?

Given, say, ten years warning of this event, is there the slightest possibility that even a few humans could survive in some way?

Azisien · 09-03-2009, 08:15 PM

Our best shot is trying to contact this fantastic alien race who erected the Dyson Sphere.

As far as human survival goes, nope. Could a generation survive? Yes, that's possible. But no Sun, no food. No food, no continuation of life for anything given a certain amount of time.

I guess the geothermal bacteria might still do okay for billions of years to come. Heck they might even thrive now that all those pesky Sun-dependent organisms die off.

pochercoaster · 09-03-2009, 08:18 PM

I don't think so. It would get pretty cold, pretty fast. Like a Canadian winter except many many times colder.

krogothwolf · 09-03-2009, 08:20 PM

I think we would survive the disaster somehow. But we would probably exterminate ourselves in a war

BitVyper · 09-03-2009, 08:24 PM

I doubt we're going to war with anyone after this. An almost total lack of natural light plus the plummeting global temperature is going to make going outside problematic.

**McTahr** · 09-03-2009, 08:28 PM

We would die in roughly the time it takes for light to span from the sun to earth.

Have you seen Pluto?

Imagine Pluto without the sun there being a nice guy and warming it up.

Now that's Earth.

krogothwolf · 09-03-2009, 08:32 PM

I don't think it would be that instantaneous at all. losing resources does not = instant weather change and death. Of course I could be wrong as this is a really drastic change.

BitVyper · 09-03-2009, 08:34 PM

Yeah, but Pluto doesn't have anything trapping heat on it. We have a lot of heat that's stuck here at least for a little bit. It's going to take awhile for us to cool off. There will be instant effects, but it's not going to be "the whole planet suddenly turns into a frozen wasteland."

russianreversal · 09-03-2009, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BitVyper

Suddenly one day the Sun is instantly encased in a paper thin, mass-less, indestructable sphere that absorbs all the energy and light it gives off. Effectively, the Sun is gone. How long does it take for Earth to become uninhabitable?

WHAT DID YOU DO?

Anyway, temperatures would drop quickly and dramatically (though not a flash freeze, as McTahr says), plants would die, so would people. Everything you assume is going to happen is likely to happen in one fashion or another.

However, the end of humanity? If we had preparation, probably not. Using geothermal energy we could sustain facilities with heating and the lighting to grow plants (among other uses). One of many problems would be the scale of this, as obviously we couldn't create living environs for nearly everyone on the planet, but it would definitely be possible.

BitVyper · 09-03-2009, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Using geothermal energy

The problem is that geothermal energy isn't going to last without the Sun. Basically all our planet's energy is a product of the Sun. Without it, we're just another rock. Of course, we have a lot saved up, so it'll last awhile, but it will all be gone sooner or later.

09-03-2009, 08:10 PM	#1
BitVyper History's Strongest Dilettante Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Arcadia Posts: 6,662	Hypothetical scenario: The Sun vanishes Suddenly one day the Sun is instantly encased in a paper thin, mass-less, indestructable sphere that absorbs all the energy and light it gives off. Effectively, the Sun is gone. How long does it take for Earth to become uninhabitable? What will be going on here in the darkness during that time? Given, say, ten years warning of this event, is there the slightest possibility that even a few humans could survive in some way? __________________ "There are worlds out there where the sky is burning, and the sea is asleep, and the rivers dream. People made of smoke and cities made of song. Somewhere there's danger, somewhere there's injustice, somewhere else the tea's getting cold. Come on, Ace; we've got work to do!" Awesome art be here.

09-03-2009, 08:20 PM	#4
krogothwolf Fetched the Candy Cane! Join Date: May 2009 Location: Calgary Posts: 4,278	I think we would survive the disaster somehow. But we would probably exterminate ourselves in a war __________________ Knowledge is Power, Power is Knowledge ╔╦╦══╦══╦═╦══╦══╦╗╔╦╦╦╦══╦╗╔═╗ ║═╣╠═║╔╗║╔╣╔╗╠╗╔╣╚╝║║║║╔╗║║║═╣ ║║║╔╗╣╚╝║║║╚╝║║║║╔╗║║║║╚╝║╚╣╔╝ ╚╩╩╝╚╩══╩═╩══╝╚╝╚╝╚╩══╩══╩═╩╝

09-03-2009, 08:24 PM	#5
BitVyper History's Strongest Dilettante Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Arcadia Posts: 6,662	I doubt we're going to war with anyone after this. An almost total lack of natural light plus the plummeting global temperature is going to make going outside problematic. __________________ "There are worlds out there where the sky is burning, and the sea is asleep, and the rivers dream. People made of smoke and cities made of song. Somewhere there's danger, somewhere there's injustice, somewhere else the tea's getting cold. Come on, Ace; we've got work to do!" Awesome art be here.

09-03-2009, 08:28 PM	#6
McTahr For the right price... Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 1,268	We would die in roughly the time it takes for light to span from the sun to earth. Have you seen Pluto? Imagine Pluto without the sun there being a nice guy and warming it up. Now that's Earth. __________________ Gone.

09-03-2009, 08:32 PM	#7
krogothwolf Fetched the Candy Cane! Join Date: May 2009 Location: Calgary Posts: 4,278	I don't think it would be that instantaneous at all. losing resources does not = instant weather change and death. Of course I could be wrong as this is a really drastic change. __________________ Knowledge is Power, Power is Knowledge ╔╦╦══╦══╦═╦══╦══╦╗╔╦╦╦╦══╦╗╔═╗ ║═╣╠═║╔╗║╔╣╔╗╠╗╔╣╚╝║║║║╔╗║║║═╣ ║║║╔╗╣╚╝║║║╚╝║║║║╔╗║║║║╚╝║╚╣╔╝ ╚╩╩╝╚╩══╩═╩══╝╚╝╚╝╚╩══╩══╩═╩╝

09-03-2009, 08:15 PM	#2
Azisien wat Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,177	Our best shot is trying to contact this fantastic alien race who erected the Dyson Sphere. As far as human survival goes, nope. Could a generation survive? Yes, that's possible. But no Sun, no food. No food, no continuation of life for anything given a certain amount of time. I guess the geothermal bacteria might still do okay for billions of years to come. Heck they might even thrive now that all those pesky Sun-dependent organisms die off.

09-03-2009, 08:18 PM	#3
pochercoaster rollerpocher tycoon Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 1,808	I don't think so. It would get pretty cold, pretty fast. Like a Canadian winter except many many times colder.

09-03-2009, 08:34 PM	#8
BitVyper History's Strongest Dilettante Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Arcadia Posts: 6,662	Yeah, but Pluto doesn't have anything trapping heat on it. We have a lot of heat that's stuck here at least for a little bit. It's going to take awhile for us to cool off. There will be instant effects, but it's not going to be "the whole planet suddenly turns into a frozen wasteland." __________________ "There are worlds out there where the sky is burning, and the sea is asleep, and the rivers dream. People made of smoke and cities made of song. Somewhere there's danger, somewhere there's injustice, somewhere else the tea's getting cold. Come on, Ace; we've got work to do!" Awesome art be here. Last edited by BitVyper; 09-03-2009 at 08:36 PM.