Researchers have presented a real-world image of an upcoming science fiction film, Project Hail Mary’splot – dimming of the sun.
The film, due for release in March 2026, revolves around a lone scientist trying to uncover the secret behind the sun’s brightness decreasing by one percent in a year and five percent in two decades.
Experts say that this scenario is only hypothetical, as if it happens in reality, humanity would be wiped out.
A planetary scientist from the California Institute of Technology, Professor David Stevenson, said such a change would wipe out humans from Earth, adding: “Extinguishing life on Earth could take a long time, as there are many creatures that live underground.”
Currently, Earth absorbs much of the energy from the Sun and reflects only 30 percent back into space, keeping the planet warm.
Using scientific calculations, experts reveal that if the brightness of the sun decreases, the Earth will cool rapidly.
Just 0.22 percent less energy from the sun as it went through a 70-year quiet period known as the Maunder Minimum resulted in the Little Ice Age on Earth. Temperatures in northern Europe fell by 2°C between 1645 and 1715.
Although humans face the worsening effects of global warming, global cooling would prove to be even catastrophic.
A recent report reveals that just a 1.8°C drop in global temperature would disrupt food chains by reducing production of corn, wheat, soybeans and rice by 11 percent, resulting in mass famine.
A total of 5.3 billion people could die in just two years if crop production fails due to low sunlight.
