The universe is full of air, a disaster scenario?

At first glance, the idea seems perfect. Astronauts will not need a helmet to breathe freely. Unfortunately (or fortunately), the various gases that make up the atmosphere are not just breathable. They also have influences on everything around us.

Hear the melody of the universe

Thanks to the air, the sounds of space will have a means of transportation for travel. In fact, the things that surround us, through movement, make the molecules that make up the air vibrate. These waves can reach our ears. It’s like throwing a stone into a lake: small circular waves form around the impact, slowly fading away as the water stays in place. In the sky, the same scenario: stars explode, planets vibrate, solar winds blow … All this, and more, has the ability to make molecules vibrate, if space is filled with air.

A simulation where a melody is created from the notes that the planets of the solar system make as they shake.

Unfortunately, an astronaut on a spacewalk will not hear all the sounds that celestial bodies make. As on Earth, the further away you are from the transmitter, the more difficult it is to perceive the noise it makes. Imagine: if it is impossible to perceive the sounds emitted only a few kilometers away, how can we hear the vibration of Saturn, a little less than 1.3 billion kilometers from Earth? Yes, the melody of the universe cannot be real.

Where everything goes wrong…

Hearing and breathing are the two positive components of an airy space. On the other hand, our world would not be completely rosy in such a scenario. In fact, it will be very dark. In fact, the moment the air settled in the sky, everything would collapse. First, the Earth will first draw air from space into its atmosphere, due to gravity. So the greatest atmospheric pressure would be on our planet, which would crush all life, including humans. As pressure increases, temperatures can rise. This is what would have happened on Earth at that time. Thus, violent fires will break out all over the world. Furthermore, these flames will be our only source of light. In fact, just like sounds, light waves propagate whenever they have to cross obstacles. Thus, those emitted by our star would have a hard time reaching Earth, plunging it into endless night. All this will happen within 24 hours of the appearance of air in the universe.

Credits: Matt Howard

Another destructive element is the friction now present in space. Currently, a symbiosis between the planets and the Sun, just like the Earth and the Moon, is possible because nothing can stop their rotation. The air in space would create resistance, which would slow the rotation of the Earth and the revolution of the Moon. This will happen relatively quietly. After 10 to 100 thousand years, our satellite will collide with the Earth, which will then be swallowed up by the Sun.

Elsewhere in the Solar System

This is the fate that awaits Earth if space suddenly becomes filled with air, which is a hypothetical scenario, because it is impossible. Of course, other celestial bodies float in our solar system and would also face the catastrophic consequences of such an event.

Just like Earth, terrestrial planets like Mercury, Venus, and Mars will eventually collide with the Sun. The fate of gas giants, such as Jupiter and Saturn, is completely different. They also attract gases from the air into their atmosphere, thanks to gravity. However, if you fail to see it all fall apart, then its size will gradually increase, and so will its mass. Thus they will have the potential to become proper stars. To achieve this, Jupiter must gain at least 60 times its current mass and Saturn at least 50 times. In our world, such an event is rather impossible.

Furthermore, the entire sky would undergo a bad change. Scientists believe that new types of stars will appear, such as those made primarily of oxygen and nitrogen. This formation is untraceable and impossible in the universe as we know it. Of course, these gases are part of the air composition, by 21% and 78%, respectively. Eventually, space will end up collapsing on itself and its mass will increase. According to simulations, this can help stop its expansion. The conclusion of this event will be a return to the birth of everything, namely the Big Bang.

See also: A ring Earth is possible!