A shocking video shows what could happen if Earth were to collide with an object from space.
But the goal isn’t quite what you might think. It’s not a mile-wide asteroid, nor a comet or meteorite.
No, this is a very simple needle, like one you might use to sew on a button. It may seem funny at first, but what if I told you that in this theoretical scenario the needle moved at the speed of light?
Now things are getting a little more serious.
Surely things would still be going well for the Earth? It might do something, but something as small as a tiny needle wouldn’t do that much damage, right?
There are two ways this can happen, and let’s just say one option is definitely better than the other. A video from Riddle on YouTube looks at the options.
In the tradition of good news and bad news, let’s start with the worst-case scenario if the needle hits the ground so quickly.
In this scenario, things cannot end well for the Earth. Credit: YouTube/riddle
In the worst case, the energy spread by the needle would cause an apocalyptic event on Earth. A huge hole would be created in the Earth’s crust, causing a huge outpouring of the Earth’s mantle into space.
This means that life as we know it has become extinct due to the enormous heat released during the collision.
But wait, it gets worse.
It is also possible that the energy released during the impact is so great that the Earth literally falls apart under the enormous force of the energy. Yes, that’s right, the entire Earth was wiped out by a needle.
Or didn’t blink, because it would be faster.
This is the worst case scenario. At least it would happen so quickly that no one would know about it.
But what about a good option?
Well, in this case, there is a possibility that the energy won’t be released in time to actually have a significant impact on the Earth because the needle is sharp and moving so quickly.
In this scenario, the needle would simply go into the ground and then come out the other side. Not only that, but it will happen so quickly that no one will notice.
Unless you stay where you left off, in which case you’re out of luck.
This is a completely theoretical scenario, of course, but it illustrates the enormous amount of energy that something moving at the speed of light has – even if it’s a relatively small object like a needle.
2023-09-18 01:41:33
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