Our galaxy is going to collide with another - buy your hard hats now!

[wyocowgirl1]

We might as well all calm down as we are all going to be spinning off into space on 12/21/12 anyway.

[rokins_toys]

I've known about this for a few years lol. It's somewhat big news in the astro community. When you look at our galaxy, you can see remains of far smaller galaxies that our galaxy has "consumed".

But hey, the human race will be long gone from Earth by the time this big collision happens. Some stars and planets, even entire solar systems in both galaxies probably won't even touch each other or interact with each other due to the millions and in some cases billions of lightyears between stars, planets and entire solar systems.

The biggest issue is what will happen when the supermassive blackholes at the centre of each galaxy meet, if they meet?

To be honest, the human race will not even be on Earth a million years from now. We probably won't even be here 50,000 years from now. By the time this collision between galaxies takes place, earth will most likely be as dead as Mars. Eventually our core will stop spinning and we will use our magnetic field, we will then lose our atmosphere as a result of this. Because there will be no protection from the magnetic field and atmosphere, it will be impossible for current life to exist here.

There are plenty of planet killing asteroids and comets out there that will hit us eventually within the next 100,000 years (humans probably won't even be here to whitness it). Meteor crator in America was created by a meteor no bigger than 50 meters in diameter so you can see the size of the crator that left to give you an idea of the kinetic energy released on impact, so you imagine what an asteroid the size of mount everest can do (equal in size to the asteroid that hit the Earth 65million years ago). An impact of this size will send up so much debris, a small amount of that will escape the Earth's gravity but the larger majority will orbit the Earth and come down around the world as a rain of fire, starting forest fires etc. around the world. Dust and debris will block out the sun for years, the shoot from the burning of the worlds forests will add to this. You will have climate change on a scale most people cannot comprehend. The environment will be impacted heavily. Depending on where the asteroid or comet hits also plays a part in the after effects. The asteroid that hit 65 million years ago could not have a hit more worse spot as this area was rich in carbon and I think sulphur which was released into the atmosphere.

Yes, some life will survive just as the much smaller mammals did 65 million years ago and no doubt evolution will take whatever course as long as the planet is still capable of sustaining life.

A super eruption at any of the worlds super volcanoes could bring life to the brink of extinction on Earth as well, especially Yellowstone. And depending on the sulphur content released during such an eruption, it could cool the planet down dramatically causing an ice age that could last decades, hundreds or thousands of years.

I have always loved studying volcanoes, space, planet mechanics, asteroids, comets. I know how life on Earth could become extinct, there are a few possiblitiles, but it is the not knowing of which one and when that makes it all fascinating.

And if we do not lower our use of fossil fuels within the next 20 years by at least 80%, then I know another way that human civilisation will be brought to an end and every other species we share this planet will suffer the same fate as us at our hands, but thankfully, at least some of those other species stand a good chance of surviving and evolving, unlike humans, because we cannot adapt as fast as other species to new climates and environments.

[adruml]

More likely that we will be the engineers of our own demise.

When you consider all the 'coincidences' that had to come together for life to ever exist on the Earth, you realise that messing with that delicate balance is a recipe for disaster.

It certainly is and whether or not we hurry things along only time will tell. We as a race have only been here a short time. I feel we are pretty much just visiting. Natural occurences will keep taking place and if we are in the way that just won't stop natural occurences from taking place.
Asteroids/Meteors waiting to hit Earth, Volcanoes erupting, ground plates moving, global warming, hurricanes, tornadoes and floods will continue with or without us being here.
I truly beleive yes we are screwing things up here on Earth but still beleive it will be a natural disaster which ends our race.

Is Earth just a creation of 2 previous galaxies colliding? Will a new galaxy be formed by the collision or will it effect another galaxy to allow another race to thrive. Sure wish I could see billions of years into the future (or at least see tomorrows race results) it is all very exciting and interesting. So many theories around and several supported by logic it's hard to imagine what takes place over millions or billions of years.
Scientists have recently discovered our heads present day are larger then they were in the 1800's, we're still evolving.

[astral276]

Hello Mel.....

May I ask the following ?????

What, in your considered opinion are these "coincidences" that had to come together ?????

Also, what exactly is the "delicate balance" that you refer to ?????

They really are many - more than I am willing to tabulate, but here are a few. Ronkin (not sure how they wish to be addressed) touched on some.

• First, the distance from our sun (the so called Goldilocks Zone) which allows water to exist in liquid form.
• The actual existence or water.
• Earth's iron core, which gives us our magnetic field, which protects life from the Sun's lethal radiation.
• Earth's moon, its existence, and it being of the right size and distance to keep the spin of our planet stable.
• The tilt of the Earth which gives us our seasons. Without that some parts would be frozen and the rest scorched.
• Sufficient gravity to retain an atmosphere.
• The existence of oxygen in our atmosphere (it wasn't always there).
• Earth's molten core, who's rate of cooling (due to the actual size of the Earth) means it is still molten, which has a great influence on the planet's ability to sustain life (e.g. warmth, planetary renewal).
• The right conditions, at the right time in our planet's and solar system's life, for life to come into being.
• The existence of companion planets of sufficient size (such as Jupiter) to hoover up many of the asteroids that would otherwise hit the Earth.

Take away any one of the above and the possibility of life, as we know it, would be impossible.

The 'delicate balance' is keeping all the conditions in place that are needed to allow us, as a race, to survive. The two biggest threats, in my view, are the desire of the human race to wipe themselves off the face of the Earth - simply because we can't get along with each other, and our impact on nature which threatens the food chain - I see starvation as the most likely cause of the end of the human race.

[astral276]

Of course...this collision of galaxies could be avoided if only eBid had a bid column.

[JanetB]

================================================== ==========================

aye , you could be right ? .. oh well could we not send them to do the same with this one .........papa.

We can try, but how do you stop a Galaxy colliding into us? (which is the topic of this thread)

[JanetB]

Of course...this collision of galaxies could be avoided if only eBid had a bid column.

[CopperLocker]

No problem. Just remember the "Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy" we're all saved...

[moonwitch]

No problem. Just remember the "Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy" we're all saved...

Only if we all remember to carry a towel with us everywhere

[DZAMBO]

Of course...this collision of galaxies could be avoided if only eBid had a bid column.

It’s funny but who knows until that time maybe we have both ‘’wishes’’ fulfilled…
Bid column and collisions are avoided…just keep fingers crossed….is not ‘’that’’ far away…....

P.S. Personally I will check out what ''Nostradamus'' has to say for that...he maybe ''write'' somewhere...who knows........