"THE DEATH STAR PLANS ARE NOT IN THE MAIN COMPUTER" BUT THE DEATH STAR MAY BE POINTED OUR WAY. OR IS IT THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT - THE BOOK, THAT IS?

The dinosaurs may have been wiped out by something similar, one of nature's little GAME OVER buttons - this one a Wolf-Rayet star, WR104, about 8000 light years away, currently enjoying the last stop in a star's life before it explodes in a massive supernova. The problem is that we are at right angles to the massive energy discharge which could result in extinction level gamma rays plowing through us. We'd have no warning, except that everything around us would start dying immediately. Am I ruining your otherwise nice day? Interestingly, the thing could have already exploded - since it takes light 8000 years to reach us, the bomb may have already exploded and we just do not know it yet. "The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at or repair. - Douglas Adams, Mostly Harmless  Well this kind of stuff happens all the time. Although, not usually to us. It will solve global warming, nuclear proliferation, pollution, corruption, greed and crime, and certainly fits into my frequent question of the big asteroid  being overdue. Read more about this lovely little star HERE and then go back to doing whatever it was you were doing before I interrupted you. Changing gears, albeit slightly, I enjoyed the book... "The End of the World As We Know It is a convenient and accessible source of Wallerstein’s views on many of the most important events and issues of the past decade, including the collapse of communism, the rise of East Asia, the fate of third world liberation movements, the relationship between liberalism and democracy, the causes and effects of emerging environmental crises, and the globalization debate, among others. An equally convenient introduction to Wallerstein’s thought and to that of the world-systems movement as a whole." —The Review of Politics" If you would like to read more about the book "The End of the World as we know it" or to order a copy click HERE.  4-18-09 Update: It turns out that the GRB that could wipe out life is more unlikely than likely - READ THAT HERE OK - go back to whatever you were doing before the panic! MisterWriter