Extinction by Gamma-Ray Burst

Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/DonateSPACEUploaded 20-12-17Find out about the last time and the next time the Earth will be hit by a Gamma-ray Burst. You can learn more about your personal DNA story by going to https://23andme.com/spacetimeYou can further support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/pbsspacetimeGet your own Space Time t­shirt at http://bit.ly/1QlzoBiTweet at us! @pbsspacetimeFacebook: facebook.com/pbsspacetimeEmail us! pbsspacetime [at] gmail [dot] comComment on Reddit: http://www.reddit.com/r/pbsspacetimeHelp translate our videos!https://www.youtube.com/timedtext_cs_panel?tab=2&c=UC7_gcs09iThXybpVgjHZ_7gPrevious Episode:The Origin of Our First Interstellar Visitorhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYGs92-qnFYGamma-ray bursts are much less common than regular supernovae, and in fact regular supernovae can do just as much damage as a GRB. However, for a supernova to produce the same effects it needs to be much closer – within 20 to 30 light years. There are definitely no stars in that range that could explode any time soon. However the Sun isn’t stationary. It orbits the Milky Way, and its galactic neighbors come and go. Maybe in a few 250-million-year orbits we stellar timebomb will wander into our vicinity. However it’s really the GRBs that are most likely to hit us first, and hit us more often. We should certainly expect one in the next half-to-one-billion years, even if it’s not WR104.Hosted by Matt O'DowdWritten by Matt O'DowdProduced by Rusty WardGraphics by Kurt RossAssistant Editing and Sound Design by Mike Petrow and Meah Denee BarringtonMade by Kornhaber Brown (www.kornhaberbrown.com)Special thanks to our Patreon Big Bang, Quasar and Hypernova Supporters: Big BangCoolAsCatsDavid NicklasWilliam James SidisQuasarTambe BarsbayMayank M.