What If the Sun Exploded Tomorrow?

Correction: we mixed up the Sun‘s lifespan with its age. Of course the sun is only about 4.6 billion years old, half way through its lifespan of about 10 billion years. That star at the center of our Solar System, that superhot ball of plasma that gives us heat and energy, and amazing , it’s a ticking time bomb. The Sun is about 10 billion years old. But it’s only expected to last about another 5 billion years. After that, the Sun will expand, becoming a red giant. Then it will shrink to become a white dwarf, a dying star, cooling for the next several billion years. Of course, we’ll all be long gone before any of that happens. But still, can you imagine what it would be like to watch the Sun blow up before your very eyes? Transcript and sources: With your support we can make our show better! Join our Patreon community: Watch more what-if scenarios: Planet Earth: The Cosmos: Technology: Your Body: Humanity: Tweet us your what-if question to suggest an episode: What If elsewhere: Instagram: Twitter: Facebook: What If comes in other languages! What If in Spanish: What If in Mandarin: Suggest an episode (detailed): T-shirts and merch: Feedback and inquiries: What If is a mini-documentary web series that takes you on an epic journey through hypothetical worlds and possibilities. Join us on an imaginary adventure — grounded in scientific theory — through time, space and chance, as we ask what if some of the most fundamental aspects of our existence were different.