what is the probable future of the Earth as a planet in 1 billion years?

Question

if anyone can help me get started on this topic i need to know what information i should be researching to find an answer to this question.

Answer 1

Over time (billions of years), the sun is gradually heating up. About 500 million to 1 billion years from now it will be too hot to sustain life as we know it. In that time frame, increasing temperatures will gradually lock away more and more CO2 as limestone, thus shutting down the carbon cycle and probably causing the extinction of life on Earth. In 1-2 billion years from now, temperatures will be hot enough that the oceans and all other water bodies will evaporate, and the water vapor will gradually escape to space, leaving Earth looking not unlike Mars. Speaking of which, Mars will slowly become more hospitable, temperature-wise. Check out the link below for a long-term view of our future.

Answer 2

The October 2002 issue of Sky and Telescope magazine had an article called "The Fate of the Earth" speculating on this. Basically, since the Sun is slowly getting brighter, in a billion years Earth will be like Venus; all the water boiled away. There is a summary in the source below. To see the full article you need to pay. Or better yet, go to the library and read it for free in the magazine. The article ends with speculation about how technologically advanced people of the future could change the orbit of the Earth to keep it far enough from the Sun to avoid this fate.

Answer 3

Sometimes people tend to be doomsayers. Think of it this way ... the sun, about 5 billion years old, is also about halfway through its life cycle, so a billion years from now, it will still be quite a ways away from becoming a red giant and gobbling up the earth.

As for the earth itself, consider what it was like a billion years ago, and project that forward. There was life on the planet, but no mammals yet. The dinosaurs went extinct only 65 million years ago, so that's relatively recent. The "Cambrian explosion" was a half-billion years ago.

A billion years hence, the continents will certainly be reconfigured. Earth's landforms, as seen from space, will not look anything like they do today.

And, by then, human beings will likely be extinct.

Answer 4

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How would you like to be there, to see for yourself?
I'm Not talking science fiction, or religious fanaticism,
or a worst-case scenario than what we find now.
Check out the Scriptures (in the articles) for yourself:

"Look! I Am Making All Things New"
http://www.watchtower.org/library/lmn/index.htm?article=article_01.htm

'Your Will Be Done on Earth'—When?
http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2004/4/15/article_01.htm

Can You Believe in a Paradise Earth?
http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2003/11/15/article_01.htm

> Life in a Peaceful New World ~ How It Is Possible for You! <
http://www.watchtower.org/library/t15/peaceful.htm

> An Inheritance You Can Count On <
~ “The Meek Shall Inherit the Earth”
http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2004/10/1/article_01.htm

What Actually Is the Kingdom of God That Will Accomplish This?
http://www.watchtower.org/library/rq/index.htm?article=article_06.htm

So many questions can be answered by a Thorough, Honest search of the Scriptures, along with a sincere desire to know the true facts. Many of these are covered on the same Web site as these articles (see "Index").

Answer 5

Research how frequent the major catastrophes have occured in the past: Meteor hits, volcano eruptions, Ice ages, etc.

Then research what scientists predict will be our next (we're overdue for a huge meteor supposedly).

Then research what species have survived such catastrophoes (won't be us, cockroaches have done well though). Basically find the "oldest" species, those generally have survived the longest.

Then you can just give an estimate to what's going to die, what's going to be left, and how it'll evolve in the time between the catastrophe and the 1 billion year limit.

Answer 6

Prophecy as revealed to John, tells that the earth will be destroyed by "fire."

Using other prophecies, it can be concluded that this will probably happen not too many years from now. It might be a dozen or a few thousand, but I doubt it will be a billion.

Answer 7

Start researching the life span of the sun, including where the sun is in its lifespan, what happens to red giant stars, and white dwarf stars. You can hazard guesses from there if the answers aren't readily apparent.

Answer 8

the sun is expected to go supernova within 10,000 years. the earth will be lifeless chunk of rock. both atmosphere and water will be burned off.