12 Eye-Opening Facts That Will Redefine Your Understanding of the Cosmos (3 of 7)

Gamma-ray bursts release more energy in 10 seconds than our Sun will over its entire 10-billion-year existence

Our Sun burns brightly, but compared to a gamma-ray burst, it’s a flickering candle. These celestial tantrums unleash more energy in a mere 10 seconds than our star will emit in its entire 10-billion-year lifespan, highlighting the astonishing contrast in cosmic power and the sheer magnitude of these explosive events. Talk about a cosmic power surge!

The Sun loses a billion kilos per second

Every second, the Sun sheds an astonishing one billion kilograms (2.2 billion pounds) of mass, primarily through the process of solar wind. This continuous stream of charged particles radiates outward into space, carrying with it a small fraction of the Sun’s immense mass. While imperceptible on a human scale, this steady loss underscores the dynamic and ever-changing nature of our closest star, shaping the environment of the solar system.