It’s a terrifying concept and one that is slowly becoming more and more real
The dangers of the Kessler syndrome to life on Earth as we know it has been laid bare in a fresh warning from academics speaking about the dangers of it should it come true.
Dating back to the 1970s, the Kessler syndrome was first thought up as a scientific hypothesis. But like a lot of science, it was based on probability should certain things happen.
And in the case of the Kessler syndrome, it banked on humanity becoming more and more reliant on objects orbiting Earth – and the problems associated with that.
Fast-forward to 2024 and we’ve being given a fresh warning about how real a threat this now is to our way of life down on Earth’s surface.
NASA astronauts drop tool kit
Credit: NASA
0 seconds of 42 secondsVolume 90%
What is Kessler syndrome?
Theorised by NASA scientists Donald Kessler and Burton Cour-Palais back in 1978, the Kessler syndrome warns that objects orbiting Earth in close proximity to the planet will become so crowded that a chain reaction of collisions could begin.
And from there, it might not stop, destroying satellites essential to maintaining humanity as we know it from crop production and internet connections to keeping international travel going and phone calls being made.
In the worst case scenario, the area of space described as low Earth orbit (LEO) will then become uninhabitable by new satellites due to the rings of debris whizzing around the planet.
Illustration of a very busy orbiting area around Earth (Getty Stock Images)
Kessler syndrome in reality
The area around Earth is set to only get more crowded if the likes of billionaire Elon Musk get their way.
Currently, the European Space Agency estimates there are more than 10,000 satellites orbiting the planet.
Of these, 6,800 are part of the Starlink broadband network, operated by Musk’s company SpaceX.
He plans to increase the number of Starlink satellites to 40,000. And given there is already 40,500 pieces of space debris floating around the planet, that is going to make life a lot more crowded.
Thousands of bits of broken up satellite orbit Earth (Getty Stock Images)
Stark reality explained
As it stands, objects in low orbit of Earth already record around 1,000 collision warnings every single day. That’s according to Thomas Berger, director of University of Colorado’s Space Weather Technology Research and Education Center.
Objects larger than around four inches, or 10 centimetres, are tracked and form part of the warnings issued on a daily basis.
Obviously, due to technology limitations and the sheer amount of debris, it’s impossible to track everything. Especially when the likes of Russia, in 2021, launched a missile at one of its own satellites as part of a test – creating more than 1,500 pieces of debris (and that’s just the traceable bits).
Space junk could end humanity as we know it (Getty Stock Images)
Will the Kessler syndrome really happen?
Dr. Nilton Renno, a professor of climate and space sciences and engineering at the University of Michigan, said: “The analogy that I like to think about space debris is plastic in the oceans.
“We used to think that the oceans are infinite, and we throw in trash and plastic, and now we realise – no, those are finite resources. And we are causing huge damage if we are not careful about what we do.”
Carolin Frueh, an associate professor of aeronautics and astronautics at Purdue University in Indiana, said she thinks the concept of the Kessler syndrome is no longer useful but that it works as a moving concept that the unregulated approach to orbit is a problem.
She said she was pessimistic that humanity ‘will act timely enough to not have economic damage in the process’.Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images
Topics: Space, World News, Technology, US News, Science, NASA
Tom Earnshaw
Advert
Advert
Advert
Published 11:02 27 Dec 2024 GMT
Scientist warns over Kessler syndrome ‘imminent danger’ that could leave Earth without internet, Wi-Fi, TV, and working phones
The Kessler syndrome could become a very real problem for humanity
Scientists have issued a stark warning to humanity when it comes to the Kessler syndrome that could send humanity back to the metaphorical Dark Ages if it comes true.
Modern society is full of technical wonders that we don’t even realise make everything tick along nicely.
From using GPS to make planes run like clockwork to mapping weather to ensure global food production keeps humanity fed, there are lots of nuanced ways modern life works without even realising.
But it could all be at major risk of grinding to a halt if the Kessler syndrome comes true. And now, a fresh warning has been issued over the danger it poses.
NASA simulates Black Hole plunge
YouTube/NASA Goddard
0 seconds of 1 minute, 5 secondsVolume 90%
Kessler syndrome definition
First theorised back in 1978, the Kessler syndrome was thought up by NASA scientists Donald Kessler and Burton Cour-Palais.
Their hypothesis was that if humanity keeps flooding the area of space around Earth – known as low Earth orbit (LEO) – with more and more satellites and space junk, it’ll soon get crowded to a point where things could get really bad for people.
Kessler and Cour-Palais said that if we keep sending stuff in to space to orbit around the planet, it will reach a saturation point where collisions begin and cannot be stopped.
NASA says: “Spent rockets, satellites and other space trash have accumulated in orbit increasing the likelihood of collision with other debris.
“Unfortunately, collisions create more debris creating a runaway chain reaction of collisions and more debris known as the Kessler Syndrome after the man who first proposed the issue, Donald Kessler.”
Scientists think we’re close to Kessler syndrome coming to fruition (Getty Stock Photo)
New Kessler syndrome warning
Dan Baker, director of the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado, issued a fresh warning over the Kessler syndrome at a 2024 meeting of the American Geophysical Union in Washington DC.
As of 2024, there are more than 10,000 active satellites orbiting the planet, with around 6,800 of them belonging to Elon Musk and his Starlink broadband network.
And it could get a lot more crowded, with more than 40,000 satellites wanted as part of Musk’s Starlink network.
On top of the 10,000 current satellites, there are roughly 40,500 pieces of debris more than 10 centimetres in length orbiting the Earth, according to the European Space Agency (ESA).
With all this in mind, Baker told the December meeting: “We have to get serious about this and recognise that, unless we do something, we are in imminent danger of making a whole part of our Earth environment unusable.”
Space plasma physicist David Malaspina, an assistant professor at the University of Colorado, added: “If the Kessler syndrome starts to happen and we start to see a sort of cascade of collisions, we’re going to see it in the smallest grains first. These are our canary in the coal mine.”
Space junk could end humanity as we know it (Getty Stock Images)
What will happen if the Kessler syndrome comes true?
If a chain reaction of collisions happens around Earth involving satellites, life on the planet could change quickly.
Satellites would be taken out and a result humanity would suffer huge internet and Wi-Fi outages. Phone networks would go down with no satellites in the sky to ping calls from. It would even mean the potential end of TV and GPS.
If that happened, weather satellites would be taken out, impacting our ability to track its impact on a number of industries such as food production and fishing as well as predict natural disasters and save lives.
The problem in such a situation is that there is nothing to slow down the chain reaction around the planet, making it incredibly hard to launch new satellites without them also being taken out.
Life on Earth would change dramatically if the Kessler syndrome comes true (Getty Stock Images)
Stopping the Kessler syndrome
Right now, there are around 1,000 collision warnings every day when it comes to objects in low orbit of Earth, according to Thomas Berger, director of University of Colorado’s Space Weather Technology Research and Education Center.
The problem, Berger says, is that space is lawless when it comes to satellite and sending more up there.
Attention has turned to ways of recycling what is already in space, with debris potentially being reused for new projects. Some have looked at burning up items in Earth’s atmosphere, but this is one that carries caution, with such acts depleting the ozone layer.
Clearly, according to the experts, we have to act fast. And those with the money and political power to do so have that responsibility firmly on their shoulders.Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images
Topics: Environment, NASA, Phones, Science, Space, Technology, World News, Elon Musk
Tom Earnshaw
Advert
Advert
Advert
Updated 21:23 23 Dec 2024 GMTPublished 21:00 23 Dec 2024 GMT
NASA shares terrifying audio of what inside of a black hole ‘sounds like’
This is certainly one place you would not want to end up
NASA has shared audio captured from inside a black hole – and it sounds like something ripped straight out of a science-fiction movie.
When you think about it, humanity truly lucked out developing on our wonderful, ozone layer-protected planet Earth.
This notion becomes even more apparent when you consider just how terrifying space can be, with black holes certainly being one of the creepier parts of the interstellar structure.
Ever wondered what one of these bad boys sounds like? (Getty Stock Image)
Our understanding of black holes is constantly evolving. Thanks to the hard work of scientists over at NASA, we learnt in 2019 that a black hole has the appearance of a pixelated glazed doughnut (no, we’re not joking).
We also have a pretty good idea of the horrifying fate which awaits anyone who just so happens to find themselves falling into a black hole. But have you ever wondered what it sounds like inside one?
Thanks to NASA, we have an answer for that as well.
Back in 2022 astronomers were able to capture audio coming from a black hole in the Perseus cluster of galaxies, which is located around located 250 million light-years away from Earth.
Take a listen to the creepy clip below:
Inside a black hole
NASA/CXC/SAO/K.Arcand, SYSTEM Sounds
0 seconds of 34 secondsVolume 90%
A lot of people will probably be familiar with the argument that because space is a vacuum it is impossible for their to be any sound.
However, this may be a bit of ‘popular misconception’ according to NASA.
“The misconception that there is no sound in space originates because most space is a vacuum, providing no way for sound waves to travel,” the space agency said at the time, as per The Guardian.
However, when it came to the black hole in the Perseus galaxy, astronomers at NASA’s Chandra X-ray observatory were able to record ripples from the hot gas surrounding the hole and translate it into audio which can be heard by humans.
“A galaxy cluster has so much gas that we’ve picked up actual sound,” it added.
NASA has since been able to scale the sound upward by around ’57 and 58 octaves above their true pitch’ so we could listen to the sound of deep space.
Maybe the black hole was just having a bad day (NASA)
The end result? An ominous groaning noise that sounds like thousands of trapped extraterrestrial souls yearning to be free of the black hole they’ve found themselves imprisoned in.
This definitely brings a whole new perspective to the relative safety of life on Earth.
Personally, I don’t know what is worse, the creepy groaning noise emitted from black holes or the fact that falling into one would see you become subject to the unimaginable horrors of spaghetti-fication.Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images
Brenna Cooper
Advert
Advert
Advert
Published 20:27 19 Dec 2024 GMT
Terrifying reality of ocean at night is ‘stuff of nightmares’ as people discover ‘one of their biggest fears’
One viral video has once again proven why the vast, dark waters can be utterly terrifying
The ocean has long been a source of fascination and fear, and one viral video has once again proven why the vast, dark waters can be utterly terrifying.
A YouTube short, originally shared by a user documenting their experiences working on an oil rig, has captured the haunting reality of the ocean at night – and it’s sending chills down viewers’ spines.
The short, which has racked up thousands of views, begins with a serene shot of the ocean before showing what it would look like just a few hours later.
Ever wondered what this looks like in the dead of night? (Getty Stock Images)
The rig worker then pans the camera to reveal an endless expanse of nothing but pitch-black water.
To make things even more eerie, he then throws an orange into the vast openness, for it to simply disappear out of sight into the void.
For many viewers, this simple yet profound clip has struck a nerve. One commenter described it as ‘the stuff of nightmares’, while another confessed: “I didn’t think I was scared of the ocean until now.”
Many noted how the video taps into a primal fear of the unknown, with the inky darkness hiding whatever might be lurking beneath the surface.
“This is why I don’t go on cruises. The ocean is terrifying at night,” one user commented.
It’s a no from me… (YouTube/Dying Voice Dude)
“Imagine falling overboard in that darkness… gives me chills,” said another.
While the ocean’s vastness is intimidating enough during the day, the absence of light transforms it into something truly otherworldly.
Marine biologists have long noted that the ocean’s midnight zone—the layer of water below 1,000 meters where sunlight cannot penetrate—is home to some of the planet’s most mysterious and alien creatures.
For humans, however, the thought of being surrounded by such an environment is enough to trigger a visceral sense of dread.
The video also highlights a reality that many people don’t consider: Those who work at sea must regularly confront this darkness.Play
The viral video has sparked broader discussions about humanity’s relationship with the ocean.
While it covers 71% of the Earth’s surface, much of it remains unexplored and mysterious, fuelling both curiosity and fear.
And for those who find themselves captivated by the video’s haunting imagery, it serves as a reminder of just how small we are in the face of nature’s immensity.
So, next time you’re on a cruise or near the sea, take a moment to gaze out into the darkness. But be warned: you might not like what your imagination conjures up.Featured Image Credit: YouTube/Dying Voice Dude
Topics: Environment, Science, Travel, World News
Sara Keenan
Advert
Advert
Advert
Updated 09:36 7 Sep 2024 GMT+1Published 09:31 7 Sep 2024 GMT+1
Scientists revise chances ‘God of Chaos’ meteor will strike Earth as it is set to get closer than satellites
NASA have weighed in on the chances of the potentially catastrophic event
A giant asteroid named the ‘God of Chaos’ is set to pass by our planet closer than some satellites and scientists have once again revised their predictions as to whether it could hit us.
99942 Apophis – also known as the God of Chaos – is a peanut-shaped asteroid measuring a whopping 340 metres wide.
On 13 April 2029, Apophis is set to pass by Earth within an estimated 20,000 miles (32,000 kilometres) of its surface.
But scientists have differing opinions as to what the chances are it could actually hit us.
What If An Asteroid Were Going To Hit Earth?
Credit: NASA/Scott Bednar/Jessica Wilde
0 seconds of 47 secondsVolume 90%
While Apophis’ current trajectory isn’t set to crash into Earth, a study – published last month in The Planetary Science journal – has found that an object as small as two-feet could change this.
Canadian astronomer Paul Wiegert and co-author Benjamin Hyatt looked into the odds of the asteroid colliding with another object causing it to hurtle our way.
They found that a relatively small object of around 0.6 metres (two-feet) could be enough to shift the asteroid’s trajectories, leading it to collide with our planet at a later date.
And, for ‘God of chaos’ to hit Earth in 2029, the object it collided with would have to be around 3.4 metres in size.
Fortunately for us, the scientists say that the odds of this happening are ‘exceptionally low’ (around 2.7 percent, to be precise).
An asteroid named the ‘God of Chaos’ is set to get closer to Earth than some satellites in 2029 (Getty Stock Images)
Wiegert explained: “The odds of an unseen small asteroid deflecting Apophis enough to direct it into a collision with Earth in 2029 are approximately 10-8.
“Given that only 5 percent of such impulses are in the correct direction to generate an Earth impact, the overall probability of a small impact directing Apophis into a collision with the Earth is less than one in two billion.”
However, NASA have weighed in on the potential event following investigations into the asteroid last year.
In a statement, they said: “The intrigue of Apophis is its exceptionally close approach of our planet on April 13, 2029.
“Although Apophis will not hit Earth during this encounter or in the foreseeable future, the pass in 2029 will bring the asteroid within 20,000 miles (32,000 kilometres) of the surface – closer than some satellites, and close enough that it could be visible to the naked eye in the Eastern Hemisphere.
“Scientists estimate that asteroids of Apophis’ size, about 367 yards across (about 340 metres), come this close to Earth only once every 7,500 years.”