"Threat of a Nearby Kilonova Explosion: Earth's Life at Risk"

Scientists have calculated that being too close to a kilonova, a massive explosion resulting from the collision of two neutron stars, could be catastrophic for a planet like Earth due to the release of high-energy electromagnetic radiation and cosmic rays. The study, published in The Astrophysical Journal, suggests that Earth would have to be within 3 light-years of a kilonova to be affected by X-ray afterglow and within 13 light-years for gamma rays to have a catastrophic impact. However, the likelihood of a kilonova occurring within these distances from Earth is very low, and the authors conclude that such events are probably not significant threats to life on Earth.