What is the future and fate of the unique planet on which we live ? This is a question which the scientists are trying to answer in the modern days of advanced technology. Well intact , with any amount of advanced science , it is not possible to give a correct precise answer to this question. What actually will be the end of our earth , is the question which time alone will tell. Man , however , due to his inherent curiosity , cannot wait and see , and is therefore , trying to speculate or theorize on this issue , just as he did on the issue of the origin of the earth.
Many astronomers have tried to find out suitable answer to this riddle. Most of them try to connect the life of the earth with the availability of heat and light from the sun. Indeed , if we were not so much depend upon the sun , perhaps , in most probability , the earth might have last for ever. But since , earths life is very much dependent upon the sun , it will possibly end , as and when the Sun's nuclear fuels gets exhausted and it stop radiating energy.
On the basis of the studies of the older stars that resembles our sun , it has been seen that when the aging stars begins to run out their nuclear fuels , they starts burning and ultimately become dark. On the same analogy , our sun also be one day behave in the same fashion , and thus in most probability , the end of our earth will come in the following manner :-
When once the original hydrogen of the sun gets converted into helium , it's core will begin to contract. And as the core shrinks , it will generate sufficient heat to start thermonuclear reactions capable of producting incredibly high temperatures. These nuclear furnaces may cause the body of the sun to expand , and thus gradually increasing the amount of heat and light radiation. This accelerated radiation should cause the sun to become hotter and hotter , and redder and redder , till it becomes a red giant-a mass of red hot , rarefied gas. During this stage of expension of the sun and it's great heat releasing powers , the two nearby planets I.e Mercury and Venus may completely get vaporised and lost. As regards the 3rd and 4th planets I.e Earth and Mars is concerned , it is possible that they may also get vaporised , may avoid that fate in Toto due to their greatest distance from the sun. In any case , the earth will not escape the deadly high solar temperatures , the oceans will boil , the rocks melted , and life destroyed.
The future of our sun and earth upto this stage is quite certain although scientists cannot precisely define the events that would follow this. In all probability , after reaching the climax of hot red gaint , the will steadily diminished in brightness and energy , and end itself into a white dwarf. This is possible , because we have seen stars that have completely exhausted their supply of hydrogen and other nuclear fuel , and shine only because of their internal heat. As a white dwarf , the sun will continue to radiate its energy , and will gradually get cooled and contracted. In due time , it will probably shrinks to the size of a planet , and become cold and dark.
With its fires gone out , the sun and planets of the solar system will become at the mercy of the icy temperatures of the interstellar space. At these temperature of hundreds of degrees below the freezing , gases will be converted into liquids , and liquids will become solids , and thus , earth will eventually become a dark frozen mass.
It is , however , very much possible that even in death , the sun will continue keeping its hold on the remaining planets , which will continue to revolve around this cold inert sun. This is because the sun's mass and gravitational force will remains strong enough to keep the remaining planets locked in eternal orbits around it.
After predicting , as to how the earths end will come , we are now left with the possible timing if this occurrence. When will these predicted solar changes occur ? Well , the present and nearby population of the world has no cause to worry , because it's seems possible that the life on earth will further continue to flourish for at least 5 billions years , perhaps even longer. This time period has been based on the assumption that medium sized stars , like the sun , radiate at least 10 billions years , before the hydrogen fuel of their core is exhausted. Thus , the sun , which , at present , is about 5 billions years old , is in its 'middle age' and will continue for a further period of about 5 billions years.
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