New Stellar Threats to Planets Discovered by Chandra X-ray Observatory

NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has identified a new threat to life on planets like Earth: a phase during which intense X-rays from exploded stars can affect planets over 100 light-years away. This newly found threat comes from a supernova's blast wave striking dense gas surrounding the exploded star, producing a large dose of X-rays that reaches an Earth-like planet months to years after the explosion and may last for decades. Such intense exposure may trigger an extinction event on the planet.