"Research increases distance at which supernova would " Topic

…spark mass extinctions on Earth

"In 2016, researchers published "slam dunk" evidence, based on iron-60 isotopes in ancient seabed, that supernovae buffeted the Earth — one of them about 2.6 million years ago. University of Kansas researcher Adrian Melott, professor of physics and astronomy, supported those findings in Nature with an associated letter, titled "Supernovae in the neighborhood."

Melott has followed up since those findings with an examination of the effects of the supernovae on Earth's biology. In new research to appear in Astrophysical Journal, the KU researcher and colleagues argue the estimated distance of the supernova thought to have occurred roughly 2.6 million years ago should be cut in half…"
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Amicalement
Armand

But the closest likely candidate is 600 LY away, too far to have a harmful effect. So please put away the lead foil umbrella for now.

(smile)

Amicalement
Armand

But the closest likely candidate is 600 LY away, too far to have a harmful effect. So please put away the lead foil umbrella for now.

But that argument depends on how fast a potential supernova candidate can go supernova. So a not so probable supernova candidate within the 50 light year "kill range" has a 50 year lag before we know it's a candidate. Once it does blow it has 50 years to kill us. So I'm personally not worried.

Either is the author of the study as one can glean from his comment ""I tell them they should worry about global warming and nuclear war, not this stuff," he said. "There's nothing close enough to cause this kind of event in the very near future."

Not exactly lead foil umbrella territory, I'd venture.