From: phoenix@ugcs.caltech.edu
Date: Wed Jul 28 1999 - 15:33:54 MDT
"John Clark" <jonkc@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
> >I hereby challenge anyone to come up with a disaster, natural or
> >artificial, that could reasonably be expected to render an advanced
> >spacefaring species completely extinct.
> just a garden variety supernova would probably do the trick if it were close
> enough. Neutrino are normally harmless but the flux from one of these
> monsters would be so incredibly enormous all life would probably be
> sterilize within a few dozen cubic light years. The other unpleasant aspects
> of a supernova could be shielded against but not neutrinos, it's hopeless,
> you're fried.
Actually, this has been discussed on rec.arts.sf.science, and it was said
supernovae neutrinos would be lethal in only a few AU. See
http://www.tass-survey.org/richmond/answers/snrisks.txt
with calculations.
But conversely,
http://www.sciam.com/0496issue/0496scicit02.html
claiming stars can collapse without being supernovae, and generate enough
neutrinos to at least cause lots of cancer.
-xx- Damien X-)
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