Earth evacuation

The presented scenario is much less likely than the threat from asteroids or comets, but it should also be taken into account. We consider the Earth to be safe, because in our lifetime there have not been any spectacular cosmic disasters that threaten our existence, but on a cosmic time scale, the Earth can only be safe temporarily. The threat I am writing about is broader in nature. A neutron star is an object with a diameter of several dozen kilometers. What is so specific about it? Huge density. A neutron star with the size of a small city usually has a mass of two solar masses! The object gestures have huge gravity. The larger ones usually can only have black holes. This small object may be difficult to detect early due to the relatively low brightness compared to normal stars. When this object approaches the Solar System, it may first disturb the orbits of all asteroids, which will cause huge meteorite rains. As we approach farther into specific planets, the gravitational forces of a star can tear them apart.

The verdict is: There is no safe place in our solar system. We are 75 years old to leave Earth and find a new place where humanity could settle. What will happen when this information reaches the public? Initially, it will meet with disbelief, but with time people will believe. The prospect of 75 years will not scare everyone, because it is known that it is more likely to be the next generation. Can we save all mankind? During our entire history, there were only a few hundred people in space, and we have over 7.5 billion people on Earth. It is obvious that you can only think about saving a small group of people. How big? It depends on how big the ship could be. As it turns out, quite big. O'Neill's cylinder concept speaks of a cylindrical spacecraft that would rotate to create artificial gravity. It could be several kilometers long and accommodate several thousand people. In the middle of the cylinder a luminous rod would be mounted, which would replace the sunlight and give life to the ship a daily rhythm known from life on Earth. A journey to another planetary system would last for many years. A few generations would have to live on the ship.

The ship's propulsion is very important. We would probably have to fly several light years. Any engines for chemical fuel known from current rockets could not be used, because the amount of fuel needed to take would be a failure. A new type of engine is needed. Different concepts are presented here, including the Orion project, which uses a nuclear explosion to accelerate the spacecraft. It assumes the construction of an anti-nuclear shield that would protect the ship. Nuclear charges would be released behind the shield. Detonating them from time to time would cause the ship to speed up, much higher than our current capabilities. The research program for this technology began in the 1960s, but then it was discontinued under the convention to stop experiments with nuclear weapons. The proper use of this technology could create a propulsion moving a huge ship, which would fly a part of humanity. The question is who?

Whom to choose from the entire population of our planet? Let's choose a few thousand people, it would cause civil unrest and anxiety. Probably the state of possession would be important and rich people would do anything to be elected. Which choice is the best? Creating a group of people genetically diverse from different corners of our planet. It would be best to test them for genetic defects and choose the strongest population that would once populate the newly discovered globe on the measure of the other Earth. First, however, you would have to find it.

We are currently discovering thousands of planets outside of our Solar System, but we know very little about them. You would have to choose one of the objects that potentially has the closest parameters to Earth and decide that we are flying there. 75 years seems to be a big piece of time on the scale of human life. Would we be able to save our species? Finding the perfect planet that would not turn out to be unfit for life is already a challenge. Building a ship of huge size would require the unification of the entire industry of our planet. Knowing human flaws and world conflicts, evacuating Earth could fail. Even if it were to happen, it is not certain that the last living people on their way to the new world will not die, encountering another cosmic catastrophe. It can also fail a technician or simply a ship will explode a rebellion and this will lead to our ultimate extermination through our human guilt.