A hypothetical scenario is presented where the sun suddenly disappears, causing widespread panic and societal collapse. The effects of the sun's disappearance are explored, including the immediate cooling of the Earth, the loss of photosynthesis, and the disruption of the food chain. The initial chaos and violence would eventually give way to a more desperate struggle for survival, with most of the population dying off within a week. The possibility of building underground habitats or using geothermal energy to sustain life is discussed. Ultimately, the scenario suggests that the majority of humanity would perish, but a small number of prepared individuals might be able to survive in a controlled environment.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Mount Tambora in Indonesia erupted on April 10, 1815.
2. The eruption spewed 9.8 cubic miles (41 cubic kilometers) or 10 billion tonnes of pyroclastic ash into the atmosphere.
3. The eruption released gases including carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and hydrogen chloride.
4. The eruption caused severe climate abnormalities for the next few years, including limited sun and a lack of summer in the Northern Hemisphere in 1816.
5. The climate abnormalities led to famine in many regions, resulting in disease and a cholera epidemic that killed millions.
6. The surface of the Sun is approximately 5,800 Kelvin, hot enough to melt or vaporize any substance known to man.
7. The Earth is about 93 million miles (150 million kilometers) away from the Sun, where temperatures are much cooler.
8. The Sun's gravitational mass controls the orbits of the heavenly bodies in our solar system.
9. If the Sun were to suddenly disappear, it would take about 8 minutes for the last of its rays to reach Earth.
10. After the Sun's rays stopped reaching Earth, the sky would be darker, and the Earth would begin to cool.
11. Within about a week of the Sun vanishing, the Earth's average surface temperature would drop to 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 Celsius).
12. After a year without the Sun, the temperature would be negative 150 degrees Fahrenheit (-101 Celsius).
13. The Earth would eventually become an ice planet, with rivers, lakes, and oceans freezing on the surface.
14. The water underneath the surface ice would remain liquid for thousands of years, insulated by the surface ice.
15. Without the Sun, photosynthesis would immediately cease, and most plant life would rapidly die.
16. Large healthy trees could possibly survive for several decades without photosynthesis due to slow metabolism and substantial sugar stores.
17. The majority of plants would be dead within a few weeks, followed by herbivores, then carnivores, and finally scavengers.
18. If the Sun vanished while it was winter in the Northern Hemisphere, humans and other life dying off would accelerate.
19. As the poles of the Earth cooled, the overall atmospheric height would begin to drop, and strong winds would blow towards the equator worldwide.
20. The water vapor in the atmosphere would condense, and it would snow in most regions of the world, leading to blizzards.
21. The atmosphere would begin to separate into its component gases by density, disrupting the amount of breathable air available.
22. The Earth's temperature would continue to drop, eventually becoming an ice planet.
23. The best chance for human survival would be to rapidly build an artificial temperature-controlled habitat, such as burrowing into the earth and living deep underground.
24. Geothermal temperature rises about 1°F per 70 feet of depth (25 °C per km of depth) in most of the world.
25. A habitat roughly a mile (1.6 km) underground could potentially maintain a temperature of around 75.5 °F (24.1 °C).
26. Other options for survival could include building a habitat underwater near geothermal vents.
27. If the Sun vanished, the majority of humanity would perish in under a week.