Will this be the end of the world we know? Scientists have no doubts
The latest model research indicates that in 250 million years, a single supercontinent will emerge. Its formation will kill all mammals on Earth.
3:04 PM EDT, October 23, 2023
A recent study published in Nature Geoscience uses computer climate models to investigate how a supercontinent, named Pangea Ultima (or Pangea Proxima), which will form in 250 million years, will cause climate changes that will render Earth uninhabitable for most creatures we know today, especially for mammals.
Deadly increase in temperature
It is estimated that in 250 million years, the temperature on Earth will drastically increase for two reasons: increased volcanic activity resulting from tectonic activity connecting all continents, and our Sun, which will emit more energy and heat as it ages. More heat from both of these sources will cause an increase in temperature on such a scale that life as we know it will have trouble surviving.
"Common temperatures from 104 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit and even higher extreme temperatures during the day, combined with high humidity levels, would ultimately seal our fate. Humans, as well as many other species, would perish due to their inability to shed this heat through sweat" - explains Dr. Alexander Farnsworth from the University of Bristol, the main author of the study.
In their study, scientists considered parameters such as humidity, temperature, rainfall, wind strength, and initial and final CO2 levels. Ultimately, they discovered that only 8 to 16 percent of the total landmass of Pangea Ultima would maintain conditions suitable for mammalian habitation. They conceded that although we must fight against the progressing climate changes caused by humans, nature might turn out to be far more deadly.
The described study was conducted by an international team of scientists led by the University of Bristol and may help scientists better understand how the Earth's climate might change in the distant future as a result of natural processes, not climate change.