A new video posted on YouTube discussed how the strongest magnet in the universe could destroy Earth and its inhabitants. According to the video, magnetars are capable of wiping out all life on Earth up-close or from a great distance.
Magnetars are the remnants of supernova events, which means they are slightly similar to neutron stars. The main difference between the two magnetars are denser and contain more matter, which means they have a stronger magnetic field. According to reports, the closest known magnetar lies about 50,000 light-years from Earth.
Effect Of Magnetars On Humans
According to a new video released by the YouTube channel What If, magnetars are relatively harmless, but if one gets too close to Earth, it could destroy the entire planet and all life on it. From a very close distance, a magnetar's powerful magnetic field could instantly scramble atoms and bioelectrical field of the human body. In other words, tear up the body's molecular structure, causing humans to disintegrate instantly.
"Whatever you do, try not to get any closer than 1,000 km (620 mi) from a cosmic invader," the video stated. "Because if you did, your atoms would get stretched out of shape. Your bioelectric field would get scrambled, disintegrating your molecular structure. And your body would just disappear."
Starquakes Caused By Magnetars
But aside from causing havoc up-close, magnetars can also affect the planet from great distances. According to What If, these powerful cosmic objects can trigger starquakes, which happens when the crust of stars crack open and emits massive amounts of radiation.
If a star near Earth experiences a starquake, the planet could get bombarded by high levels of radiation, which could compress its magnetic field and strip away the ozone layer. Once this happens, the inhabitants of Earth would be vulnerable to the fatal effects of cosmic radiation.
"This blast of radiation could compress the Earth's magnetic field and partially ionize Earth's atmosphere even from 50,000 light-years away," the video stated. "First, it would destroy our ozone layer. Then, it would wipe clean most of the planet's surface, along with all life as we know it."
