Earth's fate in the Sun's death: a tug-of-war between tides and mass loss

New stellar-evolution models suggest Earth could survive the Sun's expansion into a red giant, depending on whether tidal forces pulling Earth inward or mass loss from the Sun's outer layers dominates. If tides prevail, Earth is engulfed; if mass loss dominates, Earth escapes to a wider orbit. Observations of the nearby dying star L2 Puppis support potential survival for Earth, while Mercury and Venus are likely doomed. Future observations, including ESA's PLATO mission, may provide a clearer answer.