Life forms on Earth may fully disappear in 2,8 billion years, according to a survey conducted by British scientists earlier this year. The survey said that temperature increase depends both on solar luminosity and Earth's orbital parameters.

As for the Sun, it is predicted to become a so-called red giant in approximately several billion years. The Sun's orbital parameters will change and its radius will expand to a minimum of 200 times its current value. This will lead to the evaporation of oceans on Earth, which will in turn result in the extinction of life forms on our planet. Bacteria may remain, though, says biologist Yelena Vorobyova of the Moscow State University.

"Bacteria are known to be the most resistant organisms capable of living in the most unbearable conditions, Vorobyova says. We know that bacteria were the first forms of life on Earth and that their development added significantly to the evolutionary history of life on the planet, she adds, citing the emergence of plants and higher organisms."

The ongoing climate change will finally affect Earth's biosphere, a process that will finally kill higher organisms but that may spare bacteria. Living on Mars may prove to be the only way for mankind to survive, Yelena Vorobyova says.

"There are enough water resources on Mars that may finally accommodate all those people who will be unable to live on Earth due to global warming," Vorobyova says.

She is partly echoed by Dmitry Vibe of the Moscow-based Institute of Astronomy of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

"With the Sun's radius on the increase, living conditions on Mars may prove suitable for Earthmen, Vive says. However, it is hard to say whether they will feel comfortable in Mars' atmosphere."

Living on other planets is also an option, experts said in separate interviews with the Voice of Russia, casting doubt on pessimistic predictions by British scientists on the timeframe of the end of life on Earth.

Source: Voice of Russia