A scientist has proposed a way to preserve life on Earth after the Sun’s demise

According to current estimates, in about 1 billion years’ time, the Sun’s brightness will increase to such an extent that Earth’s oceans will begin to evaporate. Later, the star will become a red giant, capable of engulfing the inner planets of the Solar System.

After that, the Sun will shed its outer layers and become a white dwarf — a small but very dim remnant of a star.

Details

The author of the study proposes several hypothetical technologies.

The first is to build a giant screen between the Earth and the Sun. This would block the excess radiation from the red giant.

But then the planet would be left without light. The researcher therefore proposes replacing sunlight with artificial light. According to his calculations, the energy source could be fusion reactors operating in Jupiter’s atmosphere, which is rich in hydrogen and helium.

Another problem is that the expanded Sun could engulf the Earth. To prevent this from happening, the scientist proposes gradually increasing the radius of the Earth’s orbit using complex gravitational manoeuvres involving streams of matter launched near the planet.

Furthermore, the author explores ways of maintaining the Earth’s geological activity even after its internal processes begin to fade.

The researcher emphasises that this is not a project that can be implemented in the near future.

All the proposed solutions are based on known laws of physics; however, current technology does not yet allow for the creation of either a giant solar shield or large-scale thermonuclear power stations in Jupiter’s atmosphere.

Nevertheless, the study shows that preserving life on Earth after the Sun’s evolution may not be fundamentally impossible from a physical point of view.

Why not move to another planet?

The author believes that building such systems may prove less costly than relocating humanity to another star. Furthermore, such a scenario would allow us to retain our familiar environment and avoid the risks associated with interstellar travel.

Source

Study: Gabriel Harry. Retaining Earth’s Habitability Beyond the Life of the Sun.

Journal: Journal of the British Interplanetary Society (2026).