Unusual Stars Part 1: Stars That Do Not Yet Exist (collab with Paul M. Sutter)

TL;DR

The universe could endure for immense amounts of time, leading to the formation of new types of stars, including frozen stars and iron stars.

Transcript

(JMG) This is part 1 in a two part collaboration with Ohio State University Astrophysicist Dr. Paul Sutter. You can find part II on his channel, Ask a Spaceman, link in the endscreen of this video and in the description below, where I ask him specific questions about some of the universe’s strangest stars, including the infamous Pryzybylski’s Star ... Read More

Key Insights

• 🤩 The universe's potential lifespan and various theories about its end shape the possible evolution of stars.
• ✴️ White dwarfs are already present in the universe, but no star has reached the black dwarf stage yet.
• 😪 Red dwarfs, if they last long enough, may undergo an intermediate stage called a blue dwarf.
• 🌟 Increased metal presence in the universe could lead to the formation of stars called frozen stars with extremely low surface temperatures.
• 🤩 The formation of iron stars through quantum tunneling is a highly improbable event that requires a vast amount of time.
• 🤩 Understanding the future evolution of stars requires knowledge of proton decay and the phenomenon of quantum tunneling.
• 👻 The universe's potential infinite time could allow for improbable events, such as teleportation through quantum tunneling.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is a white dwarf, and how does it differ from a black dwarf?

A white dwarf is a stellar remnant that still radiates heat, while a black dwarf is a star that has cooled to the point of radiating little to no energy. No star in the universe has reached the black dwarf stage yet.

Q: Can the energy of a white dwarf be harnessed by civilizations?

Yes, civilizations could potentially harness the radiant energy of white dwarfs, such as by building Dyson spheres around them. These spheres would not need to be as large as those enclosing main sequence stars.

Q: Will all stars eventually become black dwarfs?

Yes, once white dwarfs cool and become black dwarfs, the universe will be filled with these cinder stars until it also goes black, marking the end of star formation.

Q: Are there stars that can exist in the far future that don't exist now?

Yes, frozen stars dependent on increased metal presence in the universe could form and have extremely cool surface temperatures, complete with water ice clouds.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The universe's age and potential theories about its lifespan raise questions about how long it will exist and what types of stars will form in the future.

• White dwarfs, stellar remnants that still radiate heat, will eventually cool and become black dwarfs, invisible except for their gravitational effects.

• Red dwarfs, which last billions of years, may evolve into blue dwarfs before becoming white dwarfs and eventually going black.