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IEET > Security > SciTech > Rights > Life > Access > Innovation > Vision > Futurism > Contributors > Dick Pelletier

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Could our solar system be heading for danger? Experts believe it is…


Dick Pelletier
Dick Pelletier

Posted: Dec 26, 2012

Our solar system orbits around the Milky Way roughly every 200-250 million years and researchers at Cardiff University suggest that periodically, in cycles estimated at every 37 million years or so, we encounter dangerous ‘speed bumps’ with life-extinction-causing asteroids.

Millions of ricocheted rocks whiz by during these cycles, and many collide with planets, including Earth. Impact craters recorded worldwide show correlations with the cycle of these journeys through the galactic plane, including the one thought to have eliminated the dinosaurs two cycles ago.

Professor William Napier and Dr. Janaki Wickramasinghe have completed computer simulations of our sun’s movements in its outer spiral location in the Milky Way, and determined that we are now entering a danger zone where the odds of asteroid impact on Earth go up by a factor of ten.

Ten times a tiny chance might not seem like much, but when risk of extinction is on the table, it looks much more imposing.

In addition, asteroid impact is not our only danger. University of Kansas professors Mikhail Medvedev and Adrian Melott have charted the Milky Way’s movement through the universe and they discovered that our solar system is frequently exposed to cosmic rays that generate a shock front when our galaxy hits rough spots as it makes its way through the cosmos.

As we get closer to those rough spots, our galaxy becomes more exposed to the danger of increasing radiation that can destroy species, forcing evolutionary epochs. This theory also matches in time with the dinosaur extinction.

Either way, Stephen Hawking and Ray Kurzweil are right; we need to get off this ‘3rd rock from the sun’ as fast as possible and begin scattering our populations to the stars. Are you ready to turn Star Trek into reality and “go where no man has gone before?” I know I am.


Dick Pelletier is a weekly columnist who writes about future science and technologies for numerous publications. He's also appeared on various TV shows, and he blogs at Positive Futurist.
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COMMENTS


“Are you ready to turn Star Trek into reality and “go where no man has gone before?” I know I am.”

You can start by signing this petition to build a Gen 1 Enterprise and getting as many people to sign it as possible (https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/assign-nasa-do-feasibility-study-and-conceptual-design-gen1-uss-enterprise-interplanetary-spaceship/DB07k8jF?utm_source=wh.gov&utm_medium=shorturl&utm_campaign=shorturl).





Here’s a shorter link if it makes it easier:  http://wh.gov/QOb7





I agree with Mr. Pellletier - we need to be giving more attention to low-probability but catastrophic events. Also like the idea of building the Enterprise and have signed the petition.





Thanks Guys; I created an account and signed the petition. Go Enterprise!





Best to try spreading the word out smile.





Something about this article reminds me of the discovery channel or articles in new age rags - replete with misstatements and schlock like that from Zecharia Sitchin and his planet X in its impossible 3600 year orbit.

Asteroids are residents of our solar system, they aren’t extra solar invaders. We must have passed through lots of galactic arms in our 220 million year orbit of the galaxy many times as the sun oscillates below and above the plain of the galaxy like every other star.

Our solar system is exposed to cosmic rays ALL THE TIME, and the only minor danger points arise when the magnetic field goes through one of it’s flips, which have had no effect on the flora and fauna that is detectable.

Our Galaxy does not hit rough spots as it is not moving fast enough but other smaller galaxies routinely collide with it. Perhaps the author is confusing Galaxy with Solar system.





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