A collaborative team of scientists from Germany and Spain presents evidence that Earth endured at least two major biosphere crashes linked to the close approach of nearby supernova explosions in deep time. The results appear in a respected peer‑reviewed astronomy journal. The researchers describe a scenario where energetic stellar blasts within a few hundred light‑years of Earth could have disrupted planetary systems enough to trigger widespread biodiversity losses. The work blends astronomical observations with paleontological records to explore a direct connection between cosmic events and life on Earth. They stress that although nearby supernovae are rare on human timescales, their cumulative effects over tens of millions of years can leave a detectable signature in extinction histories.
Supernovae rank among the universe’s most violent events. When a star explodes nearby, it can do more than brighten the night sky. It can erode the ozone layer and perturb the atmospheric shield that protects life from ultraviolet radiation. In such a case, surface ultraviolet flux would climb, stressing organisms at the base of many food webs. Climate models predict changes in rainfall patterns and episodes of acid rain driven by atmospheric chemistry shifts. The fallout of heavy elements could alter ocean chemistry and soil chemistry for extended periods. The study notes that the greatest biological damage would come not from the blast itself but from the cascades that disrupt habitats, reorder food chains, and accelerate species losses. This sequence provides a plausible mechanism by which cosmic violence translates into a terrestrial crisis.
The study highlights three major extinction episodes in Earth’s history: the End-Ordovician extinction around 445 million years ago; a dramatic Devonian event near 372 million years ago; and a later transition near the Devonian–Carboniferous boundary around 360 million years ago. The fossil record shows a sharp drop in marine invertebrates during the Devonian episode, with broad declines across various groups, including many fish lineages. The temporal signals are presented as notable coincidences that deserve careful scrutiny. Given dating uncertainties and gaps in the fossil record, caution is advised, but the overall pattern remains intriguing.
The paper argues that these extinctions align with known bursts of nearby supernovae in Earth’s neighborhood. While the precise timing remains a topic of discussion, the proposed link offers a coherent narrative in which cosmic ray flux, high-energy photons, and atmospheric disturbances from exploding stars could drive rapid environmental shifts.
To test the idea, the researchers built a census of bright nearby stars within about 3,260 light-years of the Sun. They mapped the distribution of OB stars, massive short‑lived stars, and used this map to estimate how often nearby supernovae would have affected Earth across geological time. The approach combines stellar population models with orbital histories to infer how frequently Earth would have been exposed to cosmic radiation and energetic particles from close stellar explosions.
Analyses indicate that supernovae within roughly 65 light-years of Earth show timing that tracks the major extinction signals. When estimates of near-Earth supernova frequency rise, fossil records show stronger extinction indicators. The authors caution that a simple direct cause is unlikely, yet the correlation adds weight to the idea that cosmic events can steer long-term biosphere shifts.
Today, the bright stars Antares and Betelgeuse are discussed as potential future supernova candidates within a million years. Both lie well over 500 light-years away, making a direct sterilizing impact unlikely, though their future explosions remain objects of ongoing study to understand how far such events can influence Earth. The authors also note that physics-based computer models can overstate or understate exposure, so long-range simulations are essential for framing possible risks.
Earlier researchers described these extinction episodes as major ecological upheavals and urged more precise dating and cross‑disciplinary collaboration around the globe.