Death Practices

[veltyen]

Originally from Anthony:
Based on supernova frequency, the kill radius can't exceed ~20 pc, since that would result in a mass extinction every 100 MYr on average, which would be visible in the fossil record. At 50 pc, we'd be getting one every 6 MYr, which is clearly not true.

Maybe we've been lucky

Yet another solution for the drake equation.

Earth has seen a mass extinction every 60 MYr or so. That's from all sources, but seems to come somewhat regularily. We're overdue as it happens.

That's from all sources however. Supernova are only one of these potential sources. Stellar collisions (two stars collide nearby), planetary impact (current dino-wiper theory), runaway thermal (either hot - venus, or cold - mars) are all other options.

Or in other words, even 20 pc may still be a little high.

 

[jfetters]

Originally posted by Aramis:
A hypernova sounds like a good way to wipe out the 3I; a suitable replacement for Virus...

Indeed - except that not much is left to rebuild.

This actually sounds like a nice premise for an ATU.

 

[Anthony]

Originally posted by veltyen:

Earth has seen a mass extinction every 60 MYr or so. That's from all sources, but seems to come somewhat regularily. We're overdue as it happens.

Actually, we're in the middle of the Late Quaternary Mass Extinction. The number of species wiped out since the appearance of humans is easily sufficient to qualify as a mass extinction, though not one of the bigger ones.