Interstellar Deathray Not Likely to Hit Earth

space.com ^ | 04/24/06 | Ker Than

[KevinDavis]

Doomsayers and Chicken Little-types can now strike "deathray from a star" from their list of possible ways to die.

A new study finds that the chances of a gamma ray burst going off in our galaxy and destroying life on Earth are comfortingly close to zero.

Gamma ray bursts, or GRBs, are focused beams of gamma radiation emitted from the magnetic poles of black holes formed during the collapse of ancient, behemoth stars. They can also form when dead neutron stars merge with each other or with black holes.

[KevinDavis]

Great, I just got myself a new Lexus with a 5 year lease...

[KevinDavis]

[escapefromboston]

Everyone knows that if you get hit by gamma rays you get superpowers anyways. So really is it a deathray? or is it a "get super cool superpowers ray"??

[Buck W.]

Damn, and I put a reflective barrier in my attic for just that purpose!

[wagglebee]

Damn, that's a relief! But I guess it means I still need to put money in my 401K.

[tet68]

But what is the effect on Man-in-the-moon Marigolds?

[darkwing104]

Everyone knows that if you get hit by gamma rays you get superpowers anyways. So really is it a deathray? or is it a "get super cool superpowers ray"??

It's a myth...It just makes you glow in the dark for six months... :-)

[cripplecreek]

Isn't that what finally took out Dr. Arturo on Sliders?

[gogogodzilla]

AAAHHH!!!!

Invisible Death-Rays from the Stars!!!

Where's the tin-foil when you REALLY need it...

[JenB]

That's probably the best headline I've read on FR in a month. At least. I burst out laughing when I saw it.

[Steel Wolf]

Everyone knows that if you get hit by gamma rays you get superpowers anyways. So really is it a deathray? or is it a "get super cool superpowers ray"??

Depends on who gets hit with the gamma rays.

Nerdy teenagers: Good.

Terrorists: Very bad.

[Vince Ferrer]

This article shows uncommon fiscal restraint. Absolutely no cries of "...but more study is needed"

[xcamel]

However.. a dead-on hit from a solar CME blast like went off in 2004 would certainly toast the "sunny" side of the planet but good. (Luckily, that one was 90 degrees away from earth)

[Uriah_lost]

It's, it's, it's.....wait for it.......BUSH'S FAULT!!!!

[Enchante]

"Interstellar Deathray Not Likely to Hit Earth"

What a relief!! To think I was just about ready to hold "end of the world" parties and engage in mindless hedonism until the interstellar death ray ended everything........

[mikrofon]

[Conservative4Ever]

The U.S. going to hell in a hand basket, but hey...no need to worry about death rays from outer space. I can breathe easier now.

[Boundless]

Article seems to focus on formation rate and distance odds.
Chances are, these jets are not axially stable, plus our
planet is moving, and at the distances involved, the beam
wouldn't bathe the Earth, just sweep by it.

There are "when not if" hazards we can do something about
(if we don't kill ourselves or decend into another dark
age first), but it's nice to cross off one we can't. It
takes away a talking point from the dirt-huggers, who
might argue "why have a space program to deal with asteroids
when GRBs are just as dangerous, and there's nothing we
can do about those".

[PoorMuttly]

"Where's the tin-foil when you REALLY need it..."

Here. I have some extra.

..but really, can there ever be too much tin foil..???!




No.

[Looking4Truth]

That's probably the best headline I've read on FR in a month. At least. I burst out laughing when I saw it.

Yeah, I was wondering if those rays that have been aimed at my head by international spies all these years was making me think that I was on the National Enquirer site. :-)