SCC GK12 Lesson Plan -- Seafloor Spreading Centers: The Life Cycle of the Seafloor. Future of the Earth. Conjectured illustration of the scorched Earth after the Sun has entered the red giant phase, 7 billion years from now.[1] During the next four billion years, the luminosity of the Sun will steadily increase, resulting in a rise in the solar radiation reaching the Earth.
This will cause a higher rate of weathering of silicate minerals, which will cause a decrease in the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. In about 600 million years, the level of CO 2 will fall below the level needed to sustain C3 carbon fixation photosynthesis used by trees. Some plants use the C4 carbon fixation method, allowing them to persist at CO 2 concentrations as low as 10 parts per million. However, the long-term trend is for plant life to die off altogether. The extinction of plants will be the demise of almost all animal life, since plants are the base of the food chain on Earth. In about 1.1 billion years, the solar luminosity will be 10% higher than at present. Human influence[edit] Random events[edit] Dynamic Earth . Plate Tectonics. Continents in Collision: Pangea Ultima. Creeping more slowly than a human fingernail grows, Earth's massive continents are nonetheless on the move.
Listen to this story (requires RealPlayer) October 6, 2000 -- The Earth is going to be a very different place 250 million years from now. Africa is going to smash into Europe as Australia migrates north to merge with Asia. Meanwhile the Atlantic Ocean will probably widen for a spell before it reverses course and later disappears. Two hundred and fifty million years ago the landmasses of Earth were clustered into one supercontinent dubbed Pangea.
Above: A map of the world as it might appear 250 million years from now. The surface of the Earth is broken into large pieces that are slowly shifting -- a gradual process called "plate tectonics. " "We don't really know the future, obviously," Scotese said. What's it like to see two continents collide? Africa has been slowly colliding with Europe for millions of years, Scotese said. "It's about as fast as your fingernails grow. Web Links Dr. Earth 100 Million Years From Now.