Supernovae Might Have Affected Life On Earth Several Million Years Ago

For years, scientists have been working to understand stellar explosions, also called supernovae, and how they affect everything in their surroundings, including planets. The question has also led many to wonder if the explosions that occurred several million years ago were close enough to trigger mass-extinction events. The exact answer, obviously, remains a mystery, but a new research sheds some light on how these explosions might have affected life on Earth.

The supernovae in question are those that occurred approximately 2.5 and 8 million years ago at a distance ranging between 160 and 320 light years away from Earth. Though previous studies suggest explosions were way beyond the so-called "kill-zone" for a planet, astrophysicist Brian Thomas, the lead author of the latest work, thinks the events might have had a staggering effect on our planet’s atmosphere, which might have had long-term repercussions on all forms of life on Earth. Read more.