Sun will swallow Earth in 7.6 billion years, say astronomers

London, Feb 24 (UNI) The sun will swallow the Earth in 7.6 billion years, astronomers have predicted.

However, the human race could survive if it uses the pull of a passing giant asteroid to ''nudge'' the planet out of the way.

''This sounds like science fiction, but the technology could be developed over the next centuries, ' The Daily Mirror quoted Dr Robert Smith of Sussex University as saying.

Previously, Dr Smith's team believed the Earth would escape but the experts' new calculations take into account the effect of the drag caused by the outer atmosphere of the dying sun.

The sun's expansion will also boil away the oceans and the make water vapour escape into space, the experts say.

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