Fascinating Video Explores What Will Happen To Earth In The Next Billion Years

It's undeniable that the question 'what will happen to earth in the next billion years' is a difficult one to answer. Lets face it, a billion years in the future is a long, long way off from where we are now. A billion years ago from today the earth was one huge, barren supercontinent known as Rodinia, without any plants or animals.

So, yeah, a LOT can happen in a billion years and this video by RealLifeLore ruminates on what that might possibly be. It's not exactly lighthearted viewing, but it's compelling nonetheless.

Of course they can't know with utter certainty as to exactly what will happen, so instead this is a broad look focusing on humanity, the earth, and the solar system and how they may change over that vast time period.

It reveals interesting facts like in 20,000 years our languages will only contain 1% of the modern words we use today. While in 50,000 years, regardless of global warming, the earth will enter a new glacial age. There's also asteroid collisions to contend with and super-volcanoes—the last time we experienced a super volcano humanity nearly went extinct, so that should be interesting.

So What Will Happen To Earth In A Billion Years?

There's also some less gloomy predictions too, like in a million years time the Betelgeuse star will go supernova, creating a spectacular site that earthlings will be able to witness with the naked eye.

While in 250 million years it's posited that the continents of the earth will form one landmass again, known as Pangea Ultima. This supercontinent will break apart though in around 400 to 500 million years.

And in a billion years the sun will have got so bright, with a luminosity increase of 10% from where it is now, that the surface temperature of earth will rise to 47°C. It will mean that likely most complex life forms on earth will perish. And the only habitable places will be two pockets of water at Earth's poles, home to the last bastions of life on the planet. So, yeah, the earth in a billion years time will not be a very nice place to live.

Still, by then the video predicts that we would probably have colonized Mars and other planets anyway. If we do, then around two million years time, the colonizers living there would have evolved into completely distinct species to humans on earth. And it is quite possible that there will be no more Facebook or internet.

All in all the video makes for a mindblowing, humbling, and fascinating watch. You can check out more videos from RealLifeLore on their YouTube channel.