Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur Surviving the Death of the Sun – Moving Earth or Finding a New Home
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Dec 7, 2025 The lifeblood of civilization hangs in the balance as the Sun edges toward its end. Explore how humanity might survive a dying star through inventive strategies like moving Earth or forging new suns. Delve into the concept of subterranean refuges on a frozen rogue planet and consider the logistics of evacuating Earth. Discover methods to reposition the planet, escape options like cryonics and digital archiving, and the tantalizing prospect of creating custom stars. A thrilling journey into the extraordinary potential of our future!
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Sun's Death Is A Looming Problem
- The Sun will make Earth uninhabitable long before it dies, with a billion-year runaway greenhouse and a red giant phase in ~5 billion years.
- Isaac Arthur frames survival as moving planets, adapting in place, or building new stars to replace the Sun.
Many Ways To Lose A Habitable Sun
- Multiple natural and artificial events can destabilize Earth's orbit or strip its atmosphere, from supernovae to rogue black holes and misapplied starlifting.
- Isaac Arthur emphasizes the timeline and variety of threats beyond the Sun's normal aging.
Shade Or Shift Earth's Orbit
- Use orbital mirrors or slowly move Earth outward to counter the Sun's gradual brightening and preserve habitability.
- Isaac Arthur notes that once the Sun becomes a white dwarf, you'd move Earth inward or feed hydrogen to maintain warmth.
