We all know the sun. It is a star that glows like a thousand diamonds. If it weren’t for the sun, there would be no way that we could live on Earth. We all like bright, sunny days. We get to exercise and breathe the fresh air. We get to play with our friends, go to school and have a fun time at the beach.

The sun warms us and provides energy to the green plants that provide food and oxygen, which all humans and animals need to breathe. Solar energy is essential to agriculture and the production of crops.

But have you ever imagined living on planet Earth without the sun? You probably didn’t think about it until I asked you right now. Well, think about it — no sun, no life, no Earth. The world will be all dark. Just 8.5 minutes after the sun disappears, there wouldn’t be any light source. The lack of sunlight could prevent the body from producing vitamin D.

You might be thinking that the moon will provide us with light. But don’t you remember that the moon gets its light from the sun? So without the sun, the moon wouldn’t even glow. No sunshine means no moonlight. Distant stars will be our only source of light.

Just within a few hours or days, (who knows how long, for we have not experienced living without the sun) the temperature will start decreasing. Soon the temperature will drop to a certain degree and we will have to move to a warm place. And the only places that can help us get warm are underground and volcanic areas.

Living deep in the ground will get us closer to the core, where it is hot and warm. Same goes for the volcanic areas. Plants will not be able to make photosynthesis and would no longer produce oxygen and food.

Quite soon, every living creature on Earth will start having difficulties. But all living things will still have enough oxygen to breathe for few years. Not a lot of plants or animals will survive. This will also cause famine in many areas. And if we would not have anything to eat, we will die.

The oceans all around Earth would freeze. Let me share a fun fact here: the water under the ice will stay as liquid for many years. This is because the Earth’s core will keep it warm, but eventually the oceans will freeze. By this time, there will be no life on the planet. The Earth will no longer be able to survive and would eventually turn into a ball of ice. Humans, plants, animals and all other living creatures will soon die.

Because of the sun, the Earth is fixed in its position and orbits the sun. If the sun disappears, the Earth will move in a straight direction. Its gravitational pull may vanish.

Then what will happen to our planet Earth? Chances are, the earth, or the ice ball, will collide with a comet, an asteroid, or another planet. If not so, after about 43,000 years, the Earth will be near Alpha Centauri, the star closest to us. Our planet might also get sucked up into a black hole.

Remember, this is just a “what-if” situation. Anyways, nothing is more important to us on Earth than the sun. Without the sun’s heat and light, no one can survive. It is believed that in several billion years, our sun will increase in size and turn into a red, giant ball. It will demolish Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. Five billion years after that, the sun will implode itself, leaving a small dense core, turning our sun into a white dwarf.

That’s a terrifying situation to imagine. But for now, let us enjoy the sun and not get very upset when it shines very hot in summer, for it is this heat that is also life-sustaining.

Published in Dawn, Young World, July 3rd, 2021