New_Threat_to_Planetary_Life_Discovered__How_Supernova_X-rays_can_Impact_Habitable_Worlds_%23facts(720p)

In this video, we discuss a recent study that reveals a new hazard for planets like Earth - the impact of X-rays from certain types of supernovae on their atmospheres. The study, based on data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and other telescopes, shows that these X-rays can last for decades and potentially trigger an extinction event on planets located up to about 160 light-years away from the explosion. We explore the implications of this discovery for the search for habitable exoplanets and what it means for the future of planetary life.
image credits-SN 1979C. Credit: NASA/CXC/M. Weiss
SN 1987A. Credit: NASA/CXC/M. Weiss
SN 2010jl. Credit: NASA/CXC/M. Weiss
SN 1994I. Credit: NASA/CXC/M. Weiss
Illustration of an Earth-like planet before and after radiation exposure. Credit: NASA/CXC/M. Weiss By