Death by gamma ray bursts?

[moonjelly<3]

Ok so as you all know in the process of a black hole forming, two burst of energy hurtle through space, the two bursts of energy are called gamma ray bursts. Gmma ray bursts esentially vaporize anything it comes close to. So my question is, considering there are a number of wondering nomadic black holes in the universe, what are the chances of our planet/galaxy getting vaporized by a gamma ray burst?

[swansont]

Ok so as you all know in the process of a black hole forming, two burst of energy hurtle through space, the two bursts of energy are called gamma ray bursts. Gmma ray bursts esentially vaporize anything it comes close to. So my question is, considering there are a number of wondering nomadic black holes in the universe, what are the chances of our planet/galaxy getting vaporized by a gamma ray burst?

 

Articles I've seen indicate that you need to be within a few hundred (or possibly thousand) light-years to be in danger.

http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMVPXZO4HD_foryou_0.html

 

Some research indicates we're not in much danger in our galaxy

http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/gammaray.htm

[Airbrush]

The probability of death by gamma ray burst is very, very small. Smaller than asteroid hits, supervolcanos, and almost any other disaster you can think of. But, over the lifespan of Earth, there is a possibility that one deadly GRB hit the Earth sometime during the past 4.5 Billion years. But for most of that time, nobody would have noticed, except perhaps for some bacteria.

 

"....Now it seems that gamma ray bursts may not pose as much a danger to Earth or any other potential life in the universe, either, since they are unlikely to occur where life would develop...."

 

Thanks for the link Swansont. Interesting article. We are safer than I thought.

Edited March 8, 2012 by Airbrush