To worry that once the sun explodes there will be

[ArtVandeelay]

no intelligent life in the universe. Just vast space. It makes me sad: the slow evolution of man over billions of years; the art; the culture; to go from living in caves to flying to the moon in a blink of an eye.

But humans are just an example within nature of a very successful evolutionary chain - nothing more and nothing less.
Throughout history, from the very beginning of time, when a certain species became successful, the things if ate quickly became extinct.
Planet Earth is capable over the long term of withstanding anything human beings can do to it.

It's quite a sobering though that everything pertaining to human existence will be toasted. But then that's likely already happened somewhere in the universe in its 14 odd billion years existence.

If it's any help, that will happen a few billion years before the sun actually implodes creating a black hole. It'll swell up first and this planet and everything still on it will be toasted extra crispy.

I think the dolphins might have something to say about being successful!

But yes - Earth will continue. Probably without humans.

But hopefully with some kind of life

Throughout history, from the very beginning of time, when a certain species became successful, the things if ate quickly became extinct.

Over a period of less than 100 years, within which dependent species have been able to adapt accordingly through evolutionary development? Can you cite an example outside of humankind where one animal has killed/hunted another to extinction within that sort of timeframe (where all other things are equal, ie, where mankind has not introduced a species or destroyed the habitat of one such that they cannot be replenished)?

Nobody is saying that humans aren't operating outside evolution. We are saying they operate in a way that is bad for the planet. Extinction created by mankind takes many forms, not just their involvement in the food chain. Which part of the hunting an animal to extinction to create a fertility potion, a nice coat or an ornament to put on your mantlepiece is part of nature's great plan? Where do plastics in the ocean factor in? Or nuclear bombs?

Of course the planet will bounce back in some way or other once some part of it is destroyed by humans. Nature will adapt of course. Will humans accept the adaptations? So far, we don't accept animals that would have foraged in their natural habitats, had we not destroyed them and taken them for ourselves, coming to find food in ours. We have superior methods to prevent nature from adapting. That's why we are so destructive.

Planet Earth is capable over the long term of withstanding anything human beings can do to it

Absolutely, @alwaysmovingforwards; it may or may not involve us killing ourselves off, but that'll happen sooner or later anyway (though it would seem a shame to rush it)

It's inevitable that "climate change" will be dragged in, but folk forget there have been periods of warming/cooling long before humans were heard of, perhaps preferring to think we're some mighty species able to influence things beyond all else - and it's simply not the case

That used to be a popular theory but then it was observed that, contrary to expectations, the universe is not only still expanding but the rate of expansion is actually increasing, so the "big crunch" idea has largely been abandoned.

Quite the opposite - it makes me happy to think the planet might finally have a chance to recover from everything humans have done to it.

The sun isn't due to burn itself out for 11 billion years so bit of a waste of time worrying about it.

We can't even find the ends of the universe and you're sat there thinking Earth is the only planet that has, or has ever had, intelligent life?

I wonder what things will be like on Earth by then...

It's a very long time off. Our Sun exploding will only affect the solar system.and nearby. Most of the Milky Way galaxy will continue as normal and the rest of the vast Universe (and other civilisations if they exist) will be wholly unaffected. Stop worrying and carry on.

OP, you know the sun is a star, right? Just one star out of all the stars in the entire universe? The chances that we are the only intelligent life form in the universe are extremely remote. Stars explode all the time. Some of the stars we see in the sky actually exploded a long time ago but because the light they emitted takes so many years to reach us we can still see them. When the sun explodes we'll all be long gone and the rest of the universe will continue as it always has done.

You are being very unreasonable to think humanity has that long.

I love this video from Brian Cox

All the elements in the Universe are created from the heart of a dying star. Once the star explodes, the elements get sent out.

We are all star dust

You think the planet will recover once the sun has fizzled out?

Anxious Individual?

Have you ever heard of the prayer of serenity, OP?

Yep. It's just one star among trillions.

By 4 billion years humans (if we have survived that long, which is highly unlikely given 99% of living creatures have already become extinct) will have explored other solar systems, galaxies etc. so life will continue.

But eventually, the last star will go out.

When The Sun newspaper explodes the world will be a better place for sure.

Sometimes I wonder if intelligent life will be around in 20 years as (human wise) it seems to be recessing 👀😳.

Arguably, there is little intellegent life on this planet.

Our solar system is an infinitesimally tiny part of the universe. Our place within that solar system is even tinier. When the sun engulfs the earth, we won't be the only intelligent life in the universe. Just because we haven't found any in our solar system does not mean that it doesn't exist elsewhere. Or that that life is not even further advanced than us, with its own rich history.

The universe is so big/ infinite I cannot even begin to wrap my tiny mind around it. It really is mind blowingly fascinating.

Trying to work out if "recessing" is a joke or not!

While I'm inclined to think there is almost certainly intelligent life elsewhere in the Universe, I do think the Fermi Paradox is interesting.

For those unfamiliar, here's a brief video (the same channel - which is generally excellent- also has a video on possible solutions to the paradox).

The very short version - if intelligent life exists elsewhere, and noting that other parts of our galaxy and universe are significantly older than Earth (so have had eons longer to evolve and develop better technology)...where is everybody?

I'm inclined to think that intelligent life exists elsewhere but that inter-stellar travel is so ridiculously difficult, even with technology much more advanced than ours, that species seldom ever leave their own solar system.