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10mo ago

Ancient Interstellar Cloud May Have Shrunk Sun's Protective Bubble, Impacted Earth's Climate

New research suggests a dense interstellar cloud compressed the heliosphere 2 million years ago, exposing Earth to higher radiation levels and possibly triggering an ice age.

Encounter Between Sun And "Something Outside The Solar System" May Have Dramatically Cooled Earth
Earth usually rides inside a protective bubble - the sphere of the sun's influence - called the heliosphere. But a new study said that, for a brief period some 2 million years ago, the bubble might have shrunk. Earth might have been plunged out of the heliosphere, depicted here as the dark gray bubble on the right, over the backdrop of interstellar space. According to this new research, this change might have exposed Earth to high levels of radiation and influenced the climate. Image via Merav Opher/ Nature Astronomy/ BU.
Caption here. Image via NASA/ The Conversation.

Overview

  • Scientists propose that a cold hydrogen cloud collided with our solar system, shrinking the heliosphere.
  • This compression exposed Earth to cosmic radiation, potentially affecting climate and contributing to an ice age.
  • Increased levels of heavy isotopes found in geological records support this theory.
  • The study used computer models to trace the solar system's path through the Milky Way.
  • Future research aims to explore past and future encounters with interstellar clouds.