"Danny Yavuzkurt" <ady1@psu.edu> writes:
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_388000/388291.stm
> Apparently, there was a *very* nearby supernova "a few million years ago",
> according to German astronomers.. only 90 to 180 light-years away..
> supernovae are no longer merely theoretical influences in the development of
> this planet's climate and lifeforms..
It also shows that nearby supernovae aren't necessarily planetkillers. As far as I know there was no major extinction the last million years. Although maybe it got the current ice age started...
If you look at the nearby interstellar medium it is clear that there
are "bubbles" made by novae just about
everywhere: http://spacsun.rice.edu/~twg/lism.html
Anders Sandberg Towards Ascension! asa@nada.kth.se http://www.nada.kth.se/~asa/GCS/M/S/O d++ -p+ c++++ !l u+ e++ m++ s+/+ n--- h+/* f+ g+ w++ t+ r+ !y