Evacuate Planet Earth The fate of the human race is in your hands… Imagine if….. Scientists predicted that the surface of our beautiful planet was to disintegrate with in the next 500-1000 years. The surface would be overtaken by molten lava The seas would evaporate Plant and animal life could not be sustained FOR HUMANS TO SURVIVE WE WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE THE EARTH! It’s down to you to decide…. …..where we are going? To help you decide the world’s best scientists have come up with six possible options What you can assume…. • Assume that we do/will have the technology to create “self sustaining bio spheres” . In other words… We can create structures to contain our own air, grow the food, generate heat and recycle the water we need to stay alive for a long time. Option 1: The Moon Moon Facts • • • • • • • • • 384,400km from Earth No atmosphere/air Exposed to meteorites Water ice may be present at the poles Temp -173 to 127◦C Humans have been on the moon No magnetic field... Danger from the “Solar Wind” 1 moon day = 1 earth month Gravity is one sixth the strength of gravity on earth Option 2: Mars Mars Facts • Closest temperature to the earth • • • • • • (still can get to -133◦C in winter Thin carbon dioxide atmosphere Length of a day is nearly the same as on earth 5.25 earth months to travel there Gravity is about a third as strong as on earth Mars is plagued by giant dust storms The frozen polar caps are mostly made of carbon dioxide but there may be a little frozen water too Option 3: Venus Venus Facts • Nearly identical in size to the • • • • • • earth. May have similar composition 3.5 earth months to get there Dense carbon dioxide atmosphere: 90X the pressure of earth’s atmosphere 25km thick cloud containing concentrated sulphuric acid Average temp 467◦C 1 Venus day= 243 earth days No magnetic field. No protection from solar wind. Option 4: Jupiter’s Moon “Europa” Why not Jupiter itself? • 18 earth months away • It’s the largest planet in the solar system but it’s a GAS GIANT • It has no solid surface • It has a very strong magnetic field creating intense radiation belts that would kill you. Europa facts • Jupiter’s second largest moon • Same size as our moon • May be the only other place in solar to have watery seas. • Most of the water on the moon is frozen solid. • No atmosphere • Average temp -170◦C Option 5: Out of our Solar System Out of our Solar System Facts • Since 1995 we have confirmed the • • • • existence of at least 200 other planets out of our solar system Some predict that half the stars in our galaxy may have planets…..that makes 50 billion planets to choose from! Most planets found are gas giants but rocky planets are starting to be found. The distance involved are unimaginably large. At current space travel speeds generations of humans would spend all their lives on spaceships. In 2007 the first potential “earth like” rocky planet was found orbiting the star Gliese 581. This star is 20.5 light years away and in the constellation of Libra. With temperatures between 0 40 deg it may have liquid water. Option 6: Permanent Space Station/Colony orbiting Earth Space Station Facts • We may not need to leave earth altogether just it’s surface. • Earth could remain a good source of materials. • Unless we can generate artificial gravity systems we would have to live in weightless conditions • The man made problem of “space junk” The rest is up to you…