The Sirius Distance: WouldTeleporting 70 Million Light Years to Witness a Dinosaur-Ruled Earth?

Introduction

Imagine the mind-boggling scenario of teleporting 70 million light years away from Earth, with the ability to observe our world in superlative detail. Could we see the Earth as it was 70 million years ago, a period dominated by dinosaurs? This article explores this intricate concept, delving into the nuances of light travel, the properties of dinosaurs, and the technological and physical hurdles such a feat would entail.

Light Travel and TimeFrames

If you could teleport 70 million light years away from Earth, with super vision, you would indeed observe the Earth as it was 70 million years ago. According to the laws of physics, light takes time to travel across vast distances. In this case, the light you would see traveled for 70 million years to reach you, thus showing a snapshot of Earth from that era.

The late Cretaceous period, which lasted until about 66 million years ago, saw the prevalence of dinosaurs. During this time, flora and fauna unique to that era populated the Earth, including the massive Argentinosaurus, a dinosaur with a cross-sectional area of approximately 100 m2. This hypothetical scenario allows us to explore the fascinating details of how light and time interact to preserve ancient Earth's history.

Quantum Light and Observational Challenges

Let's perform a ballpark estimation to understand the scale of this challenge. Assume a large dinosaur, like the Argentinosaurus, with a cross-sectional area of 100 m2. In the bright sunlight of the Cretaceous period, this dinosaur would receive around 1000 W/m2, accounting for a total of 100 kW of incident sunlight. The photon energy at 2 eV per photon, this dinosaur scatters roughly 61023 photons per second.

If the dinosaur's skin evenly scatters these photons in all directions, after 70 million years, the photons would be distributed over a hemisphere of size (2pi(70 text{ million light years})^2), which is approximately 31016 square light years or ~31048 m2.

To see just one photon from this dinosaur per second, the observer would need a telescope of size 31048/61023 51024 m2. This is equivalent to the size of Saturn's orbit around the sun. Building anything this massive would require overcoming immense gravitational stress, rendering it practically impossible to construct.

Infinite Exposure vs. Recognition

Even if we extend the exposure time, the vast distances involved would make it almost impossible to recognize individual organisms. A long-exposure photograph, no matter the duration, would blur the image of a moving organism such as a dinosaur, rendering detailed observation impractical.

The takeaway message is clear: it is virtually impossible to observe dinosaurs by "old light," even for an observer with superpowers or highly advanced technology. The quantization of light itself is a fundamental barrier. The only way to actually see a dinosaur-inhabited Earth would be through real-time travel, which, to our current understanding of physics, is not feasible.

Thus, while the concept is fascinating and thought-provoking, the limitations imposed by the nature of light and the cosmic distances involved make it an unattainable dream for now. However, the journey through these challenges offers valuable insights into the intricacies of light, time, and the vastness of the universe.