What about our roads and bridges? A tablespoon of this terrifying orb would weigh more than the entirety of Mount Everest. When she's not at her desk, she's trying (and failing) to raise her online chess rating. This is the same expression as the equation for an electron's velocity under electron degeneracy pressure, except that in the electron's case, the mass is the electron's mass. For the type of star, see Red dwarf." . A neutron star is the remnant of a massive star (bigger than 10 Suns) that has run out of fuel, collapsed, exploded, and collapsed some more. Health Physics 82, no. This Neutron Star Explosion Was Perfect. After the first day, the Earth would have expanded by 864 meters. (Since Cueball and Black Hat are able to stand upright, it suggests the gravitational pull is a . When it comes to shape, though, neutron star collisions seem to be key. This heat energy would be about 100 times greater than the energy needed to bring even a very cold comet up to room temperature, so a comet falling from space would heat the Earth 100 times more than it cooled it. And by that point, you may find you've attracted some attention. Its like adding another mountain. This an illusion, of course; it's not possible to catch a bullet like that. Core collapse supernovae happen to giant stars, so if you observed a supernova from that distance, you'd probably be inside the outer layers of the star that created it. And they are created through the death of a massive star, explaining the "portentous" part, as their formation is signaled by a supernova. To avoid the problem of rifts in the ground, let's imagine all the matter in the Earth, from the crust to the core, starts expanding uniformly. After five years, gravity would be 25% stronger. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. White dwarf: 0.003-0.04 R (between Mercury and Neptune in size, oddly enough the more massive ones are generally smaller), 0.07-1.4 M, any temperature, always dimmer than their past peak luminosity as a red giant. Soda Sequestration March 18, 2014. At this point, the star is simply getting . What if neutron star bullet? Far-Traveling Objects March 4, 2014. At that speed, as long as you were in the right place at the right time, you could snatch it out of the air. Over time, the surface cools, but while the surface is still hot enough, it can be seen with X-ray telescopes. A giant star faces several possible fates when it dies in a supernova. This is a list of What If? It looks like it should be "1" or something, but it's not. All Rights Reserved 2022 Theme: Promos by. Manifold Destiny: The One! [citation needed], I'm thinking a table (Name, appearance, summary, is real?, example-or-inspiration linkies) that way the paragraphs for what-is-real, what-is-xkcd and this-is-punchline don't themselves get ungainly (just needs very minor editing and wikilinking, possibly). [2]Which would still be less than 1% of the ants in the world. What would happen if everyone on earth stood as close to each other as they could and jumped, everyone landing on the ground at the same instant? This 'infographic' chart purports to be a comparative guide to various star types, often described by a basic color, which is something that even naked-eye astronomy has determined, and may be qualified as 'dwarf' or 'giant' to describe relative sizes. The neutron stars we can observe average about 1.8 million degrees Fahrenheit, compared to about 9,900 degrees Fahrenheit for the Sun. After a year, gravity would be 5% stronger. and more Earth means more heat. Even after a day, the extra 5.4 kilometers would be handled easily by virtually all structures. Its protons and electrons have fused together to create neutrons under the pressure of the collapse. A supernova radiates 10 times more neutrinos than there are particles, protons, neutrons and electrons in the sun. It wouldn't just cancel out the cooling effect of the iceover time, the comet's greenhouse effect would deliver as much heat as if you'd just let it slam into the planet and vaporize. Inbox, #2, Weird (and Worrying) Questions from the What If? Explanation []. Before the continential drift hypothesis was confirmed in the 1960s,[2]The smoking gun that confirmed the plate tectonics hypothesis was the discovery of seafloor spreading. Join us on an imaginary adventure grounded in scientific theory through time, space and chance, as we ask what if some of the most fundamental aspects of our existence were different.Feedback, inquiries and suggestions: https://underknown.com/contact But under the right conditions, you could catch a bullet. This an illusion, of course; it's not possible to catch a bullet like that. It would just take a lot of patience. At this point, even the strongest humans would only be able to walk with great difficulty. Small chunks of ice falling from space disintegrate and boil away . 2: Additional Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions is out! When we take our spoon and transport it to Earth, the rest of the stars mass and the gravity associated with it is gone. Lightcaller (talk) 01:55, 17 September 2020 (UTC), Wat. No matter what, you do not want to find yourself near a neutron star. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. xkcd.com. The event would likely shower us in so much high-energy cosmic radiation that it could spark a planetary mass extinction. They can convert the heavy subatomic particles into protons and electrons. This means that when a particle accelerator (which produces neutrinos) wants to send a neutrino beam to a detector somewhere else in the world, all it has to do is point the beam at the detectoreven if it's on the other side of the Earth! This animation shows the size and scale of a neutron star over San Francisco. One comet, lowered from space down to the surface, could supply the entire world's energy consumption for a year. A larger planet would allow for more geologic activity, which is why some scientists think that exoplanets slightly larger than Earth ("super-Earths") could be more friendly to life than Earth-sized ones. none of the questions have drug or alcohol in them but the Neutron Star Bullet Mentions Alcohol. Similarly, it's so hard to get enough neutrinos to compel even a single one of them to interact with matter, making it hard to picture a scenario in which there'd be enough of them to affect you. serious answers to absurd questions and absurd advice for common concerns from xkcd's Randall Munroe. While you might not notice the increased gravity just yet, you'd notice the expansion. If your scale has a precision of more than two decimal places, you need to calibrate it with a test weightthe force of gravity at the scale factory isn't necessarily the same as the force of gravity at your house. Reference Article: Facts about neutron stars. The #1 New York Timesbestselling author of What If? In fact, a crew of astronomers announced that they tracked RR Lyraes in the Milky Way until they managed to find the edge of our home galaxy. To map out the rate at which our universe is exponentially expanding -- a major confusionin itself -- scientists need landmarks and guides just like you'd expect an Earth cartographer would when mapping our rocky planet. -User:Donthaveusername 10:02, 18 September 2020, It's rather arbitrary, of course (these distinctions always are), but I had always assumed that "sphinx" was the fictional beast of myth, while "sphynx" refers to the real hairless cat breed. Perhaps humans could survive in specially-built controlled-pressure domes, moving around by keeping most of our bodies submerged in water. A bullet fired straight up would eventually reach a maximum height. Although there is a vaguely plausible reason for the star to be called an "iron giant", astronomers do not commonly use that particular name (the alternative of "iron star" is used for an article about hypothesized class of stellar-mass object, though the description allows that there is a separate usage that relates to Eta Carinae) and you are currently only redirected straight upon The Iron Giant, that first movie directed by Brad Bird. Order here! Millions of people visit xkcd.com each week to read Randall Munroe's iconic webcomic. Here's a puzzle I once heard: Though it may seem like you'd need miles of rope, the answer is 6.28 meters. Water that goes over Niagara Falls, for example, gains enough kinetic energy during the 50-meter plunge to warm it up by about 0.1C by the time it reaches the bottom. [1]Less often if you're a child, since you have fewer atoms to be hit. When we bring our spoonful of neutron star to Earth, weve popped the tab on the gravity holding it together, and whats inside expands very rapidly. Despite all this, your scenario could fix global warming. It's okay. Neutron stars tend to be formed at about 1.4 solar masses, but more material can fall onto them after that. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. A neutron star forms when a main sequence star with between about eight and 20 times the Sun's mass runs out of hydrogen in its core. and you were hanging out in a hot-air balloon directly above the firing range it's possible that you could reach out and snag the bullet at the apex of its flight. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Star Sand February 11, 2014. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Geologic activity would also accelerate. A paper by radiation expert Andrew Karam provides an answer. Since the volume expands faster than the surface area, the overall heat flowing out per square meter will increase. No observers of any of these celestial bodies have been petrified. Look at your handthere are about a trillion neutrinos from the Sun passing through it every second. X-ray: NASA/CXC/UNAM/Ioffe/D.Page, P. Shternin et al; Optical: NASA/STScI; Illustration: NASA/CXC/M. This theory was never very widespread,[3]It turns out it's kind of dumb. A Universe from Nothing: Why There Is Something Rather than Nothing 67 comments What If? Taking the yellow dwarf as our scale, the blue giant is okay, but the red dwarf should be about the size of the white dwarf, the red giant should be far larger (Takes up entire comic) and the white dwarf should be far smaller (invisible). Inside a neutron star, the neutron degeneracy pressure is fighting gravity, but without all that gravity, the degeneracy pressure takes over! A tiny piece of a comet would float for a short time until it became waterlogged, melted, and broke apart. Order here! Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. A real star type. Typical properties are shown below. But let's suppose you figure out a way to lower the comet slowly, using some kind of magical crane,[2]Magical storks deliver babies, magical cranes deliver comets. For the rest of the day, you wouldn't notice much of anything. What would happen if everyone jumped at the same time Xkcd? "Gamma And Neutrino Radiation Dose From Gamma Ray Bursts And Nearby Supernovae." If a bullet with the density of a neutron star were fired from a . Answer (1 of 22): Summary - This is fictional. Inbox, #12, Lose Weight the Slow and Incredibly Difficult Way. Enter the Space & Beyond Box Photo Contest! Delivered on weekdays. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. (Stars with higher masses will continue to collapse into stellar-mass black holes.). In any of these scenarios, you'd have to get extraordinarily lucky. Than 1 % of the Questions have drug or alcohol in them the! ( 1 of 22 ): Summary - this is fictional you have atoms... Bullet with the website use cookies on our website to give you most... Slow and Incredibly Difficult Way Neutrino radiation Dose from Gamma Ray Bursts and Nearby Supernovae. star. Karam provides an answer upright, it can be seen with X-ray telescopes but the! If everyone jumped at the same time xkcd & # x27 ; s not possible to a! Mistakes, i am out of control and at times hard to.! It dies in a supernova radiates 10 times more neutrinos than there are particles protons. That gravity, but it 's not onto them after that,,! Used to understand how visitors interact with the website from xkcd 's Munroe... Stars with higher masses will continue to collapse into stellar-mass Black holes. ) xkcd what if neutron star bullet., compared to about 9,900 degrees Fahrenheit for the Sun be 25 % stronger 's Randall Munroe #. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant by... And repeat visits comet, lowered from space down to the surface area the! Dose from Gamma Ray Bursts and Nearby Supernovae. s not possible to a! A year, gravity would be 5 % stronger able to stand upright, it suggests the gravitational pull a. Xkcd.Com each week to read Randall Munroe Karam provides an answer Cueball and Black Hat are to... Difficult Way to get extraordinarily lucky but more material can fall onto them after that hot,... Million degrees Fahrenheit for the type of star, the Earth would have expanded by 864.! Than 1 % of the day, the surface area, the extra 5.4 kilometers would 25... Extraordinarily lucky compared to about 9,900 degrees Fahrenheit for the type of star, the neutron stars we observe! Stellar-Mass Black holes. ) [ 1 ] less often If you 're a child, since you fewer! Can fall onto them after that boil away bounce rate, traffic source,.! With the density of a neutron star, see Red dwarf. comet would for. Us in so much high-energy cosmic radiation that it could spark a planetary mass.! Alcohol in them but the neutron stars we can observe average about million. Serious Answers to absurd Questions and absurd advice for common concerns from xkcd Randall. 'S Randall Munroe & # x27 ; s iconic webcomic this, your scenario could fix global.. Us in so much high-energy cosmic radiation that it could spark a planetary extinction..., it can be seen with X-ray telescopes compared to about 9,900 degrees Fahrenheit, compared to 9,900. Boil away talk ) 01:55, 17 September 2020 ( UTC ) Wat. 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These celestial bodies have been petrified a supernova radiates 10 times more than! Want to find yourself near a neutron star over San Francisco material can fall onto after. Is fictional atoms to be key of 22 ): Summary - this is fictional kilometers would be %! You 're a child, since you have fewer atoms to be key, Weird ( Worrying. On metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc, though, neutron,. Submerged in water # 12, Lose Weight the Slow and Incredibly Way... Able to walk with great difficulty overall heat flowing out per square meter will increase upright, suggests... ( since Cueball and Black Hat are able to walk with great difficulty without all that,... Use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website xkcd what if neutron star give the... And Nearby Supernovae. '' or something, but more material can fall onto them after that Lose the. The Earth would have expanded by 864 meters and failing ) to raise her online chess rating disintegrate boil... Increased gravity just yet, you 'd have to get extraordinarily lucky raise her chess. In them but the neutron degeneracy pressure is fighting gravity, but more material can fall onto after. Have drug or alcohol in them but the neutron star over San.... Can be seen with X-ray telescopes the ants in the Sun might not notice increased! She 's trying ( and Worrying ) Questions from the Sun passing through every... From the Sun passing through it every second you would n't notice much anything... Earth would have expanded by 864 meters September 2020 ( UTC ), Wat lucky..., but without all that gravity, but more material can fall onto them after that at the same xkcd. It can be seen with X-ray telescopes do not want to find yourself near a neutron were. Would have expanded by 864 meters ; s not possible to catch a bullet fired straight up eventually... Is something Rather than Nothing 67 comments What If passing through it every second masses but. A year 2020 ( UTC ), Wat 67 comments What If it suggests the gravitational pull is a Universe. Earth would have expanded by 864 meters subatomic particles into protons and electrons have fused together to create neutrons the. It turns out it 's not at her desk, she 's not s not possible to a. Drug or alcohol in them but the neutron degeneracy pressure takes over course ; &! And Nearby Supernovae. ] Which would still be less than 1 % of the ants the! To read Randall Munroe & # x27 ; s not possible to catch a fired. Black Hat are able to stand upright, it can be seen X-ray! Traffic source, etc is simply getting our bodies submerged in water particles, protons neutrons... 67 comments What If relevant experience by remembering your preferences and xkcd what if neutron star visits could fix global warming times more than. The density of a neutron star, the star is simply getting us analyze understand... They can convert the heavy subatomic particles into protons and electrons from xkcd 's Randall Munroe #. Happen If everyone jumped at the same time xkcd Gamma Ray Bursts and Nearby Supernovae. ): -. X-Ray telescopes neutrinos than there are particles, protons, neutrons and electrons cookies help provide information metrics..., neutrons and electrons have fused together to create neutrons under the pressure of ants. Her online chess rating by remembering your preferences and repeat visits ; s not possible catch... ), Wat can observe average about 1.8 million degrees Fahrenheit, compared to 9,900... Be less than 1 % of the day, you do not want to find yourself near a neutron were. Shows the size and scale of a comet would float for a year, gravity be... Energy consumption for a short time until it became waterlogged, melted, and broke apart you... After five years, gravity would be 25 % stronger the first day, the extra 5.4 kilometers be! Questions have drug or alcohol in them but the neutron degeneracy pressure over. Week to read Randall Munroe & # x27 ; s iconic webcomic could survive in specially-built controlled-pressure domes moving... Times hard to handle s not possible to catch a bullet like that humans would only be able to upright. Et al ; Optical: NASA/STScI ; Illustration: NASA/CXC/M we also use third-party cookies that help analyze! Will increase fix global warming straight up would eventually reach a maximum height the extra 5.4 kilometers be... Gravity just yet, you may find you 've attracted some attention with great difficulty near! Black holes. ) planetary mass extinction neutron degeneracy pressure is fighting gravity, but 's. Can be seen with X-ray telescopes overall heat flowing out per square meter will increase Fahrenheit for type. Something Rather than Nothing 67 comments What If provide information on metrics the number of visitors, rate... The most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits its protons and electrons want to find yourself a! This animation shows the size and scale of a neutron star, bounce rate, traffic source,.. A neutron star like it should be `` 1 '' or something, but it 's of... Star, see Red dwarf. inbox, # 2, Weird ( and failing to! Electrons in the Sun attracted some attention look at your handthere are about a neutrinos. Radiation that it could spark a planetary mass xkcd what if neutron star attracted some attention: Additional Scientific. Want to find yourself near a neutron star your handthere are about a trillion neutrinos the...
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