The famous physicist predicted that global warming would make the climate on our planet the same as on Venus.
Humanity has very little time left to move to another planet - this is our only salvation! This was stated by the famous scientist Stephen Hawking in the second episode of his popular science film "Stephen Hawking's Favorite Places". The feed is shown on CuriosityStream.com
He criticized people who deny global warming, and told what fate awaits the Earth if this process cannot be stopped. Hawking used our neighbor in the solar system, Venus, as an illustrative example.
- This planet is a relative of the Earth and is in many ways similar to it, - says Hawking, - It is the same size as the Earth, has an atmosphere and is slightly closer to the Sun. Therefore, it can be used as a model.
In 2002, scientists Kendall Powell and John Blac of the NASA Research Center published a paper in which they argued that 4.5 billion years ago, Venus, like two drops of water, was like Earth. It had a similar climate and most of its surface was covered by oceans. Why did Venus lose water and turn into a real hell, where the temperature reaches 460 degrees Celsius (this is higher than the melting point of lead), and atmospheric pressure is 92 times higher than at the Earth's surface? This is due to such a phenomenon as the unrestricted growing greenhouse effect. It occurs when a planet absorbs more energy from the Sun than it can radiate back into space. NASA experts have determined: when the ocean surface temperature exceeds 27 degrees Celsius,a critical amount of water vapor is released into the atmosphere - and this is one of the most efficient greenhouse gases. The fact is that water vapor transmits solar radiation from space, but absorbs most of the infrared radiation coming from the Earth. As a result, the ocean temperature becomes even higher, the so-called "thermal runaway" occurs and the influence of the greenhouse effect increases. As a result, 3-4 billion years ago, all water molecules on Venus escaped into space, and the planet's atmosphere today is 96 percent carbon dioxide and dense clouds of sulfuric acid.the so-called "thermal runaway" occurs and the influence of the greenhouse effect increases. As a result, 3-4 billion years ago, all water molecules on Venus escaped into space, and the planet's atmosphere today is 96 percent carbon dioxide and dense clouds of sulfuric acid.the so-called "thermal runaway" occurs and the influence of the greenhouse effect increases. As a result, 3-4 billion years ago, all water molecules on Venus escaped into space, and the planet's atmosphere today is 96 percent carbon dioxide and dense clouds of sulfuric acid.
“A similar picture will emerge on Earth if greenhouse gases get out of control,” Hawking said. However, he jokes:
- If you meet a person who doubts this, invite him to go to Venus. I will pay for this trip.
Most scientists are unanimous in the opinion that in the long term, the unboundedly growing greenhouse effect will also turn the Earth into a desert. This will happen because the Sun will heat up in the course of its evolution. When it gets 10% brighter, the temperature of the Earth's surface will reach 47 degrees, but this will happen in about a billion years. However, Hawking believes that the disaster will happen much earlier because people underestimate the extent of climate change. The US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, which was initiated by President Trump, indicates that politicians do not trust scientists. According to Hawking's estimates, a global ecological disaster awaits humanity within the next couple of hundred years.
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YAROSLAV KOROBATOV