Cosmology is the branch of astronomy that studies the structure and evolution of the Universe as a whole, worrying both about its origin and its evolution. This article aims to present the scientific advances that need to be made in cosmology to contribute to the adoption of technological solutions to protect humanity from threats to its extinction coming from outer space. The future of humanity depends on the success achieved in advancing knowledge about the Universe, especially 10 major cosmological issues that need to be clarified so that humanity can, with scientific knowledge, adopt measures to protect itself from threats to its survival and seek locations in or outside the solar system that could be habitable by humans.

1. 1
THE ADVANCES NEEDED IN COSMOLOGY TO SAVE THE HUMANITY OF
EXTINCTION
Fernando Alcoforado *
Cosmology is the branch of astronomy that studies the structure and evolution of the
Universe as a whole, worrying both about its origin and its evolution. This article aims to
present the scientific advances that need to be made in cosmology to contribute to the
adoption of technological solutions to protect humanity from threats to its extinction
coming from outer space. The future of humanity depends on the success achieved in
advancing knowledge about the Universe, especially 10 major cosmological issues that
need to be clarified so that humanity can, with scientific knowledge, adopt measures to
protect itself from threats to its survival and seek locations in or outside the solar system
that could be habitable by humans.
The 10 main cosmological questions are as follows: 1) Knowledge about the “Oort
Cloud” and the “Kuiper Belt” located at the limits of the solar system where the comets
are located; 2) Evidence of the existence of Nemesis, a brown dwarf star, which would
constitute with the Sun a binary star that could launch by its gravitational action asteroids
and comets located in the “Oort cloud” towards Earth; 3) Detection of gravitational waves
aiming at the development of observational astronomy to probe the first moments of the
Universe; 4) The nature of dark matter and dark energy to understand the Universe; 5)
Threats on planet Earth from the collision of celestial bodies and cosmic rays emission;
6) Possible alternative habitable places for humans in and outside the solar system; 7) The
size of the Universe to determine whether it is finite or infinite and its shape to determine
whether it is flat or spherical; 8) The fate of our Universe whether there will be contraction
starting a new Universe, expansion with its thermal death, the end of the Universe as a
cold, dark and empty place or unlimited expansion until its disintegration; 9) The
existence or not of parallel universes; and, 10) The development of the final theory or
theory of everything, that is, of the unified field theory to explain and connect in a single
theoretical structure, all physical phenomena joining quantum physics and the theory of
general relativity in a single treatment theoretical and mathematical.
The first question to be clarified concerns the “Oort Cloud” (Figure 1) and the “Kuiper
Belt” (Figure 2) located at the limits of the solar system where the comets are located.
Figure 1- Oort Cloud

2. 2
Source: https://www.universetoday.com/32522/oort-cloud/
Faced with the threat of a collision of comets with planet Earth, it is of fundamental
importance to understand the gravitational forces exerted not only by the “Oort Cloud”,
but also by the “Kuiper Belt” to assess the possibility of comets being hurled at all sides,
many of which can reach the Earth, thus causing great extinctions of life on our planet.
Figure 2- Kuiper belt
Source: https://hypescience.com/o-que-e-o-cinturao-de-kuiper/
The second question to be clarified concerns the existence of Nemesis that would
constitute with the Sun a binary star, which would be located at least seventeen times
more distant from the Sun than Neptune, the last planet in the solar system, and could to
throw asteroids and comets in the “Oort cloud” towards the Earth by their gravitational
action and cause great extinctions of life on our planet (Figure 3).
Figure 3- Sun and Nemesis
Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2094663/

3. 3
The third question to be clarified concerns the detection of gravitational waves aiming at
the development of observational astronomy to probe the first moments of the Universe
(Figure 4). Gravitational waves are a new way of "seeing" what happens in space. This is
particularly important because light waves could not penetrate the plasma that occupied
all of the space in the first hundreds of thousands of years that followed the Big Bang
when the birth of our Universe occurred, unlike what happened with gravitational waves.
With the detection of gravitational waves, it will be possible to use gravity, not light, as
a guide to probe the first moments of the Universe since the Big Bang.
Figure 4- Gravitational waves
Source: http://www.sbfisica.org.br/v1/home/index.php/pt/destaque-em-fisica/135-entenda-a-importancia-
das-ondas-gravitacionais-com-a-rbef
The fourth question to be clarified concerns the nature of dark matter and dark energy to
understand the Universe. The Universe is made up of 73% dark matter and 23% dark
energy, while the rest is made up of galaxies, stars, planets, etc. which corresponds to 4%
of the entire Universe (Figure 5). Without knowing the essence of dark matter and dark
energy that corresponds to 96% of the Universe, we will not understand how it operates
in its entirety.
Figure 5- Dark energy, dark matter and known Universe
Source: https://www.albany.edu/levydm/website/presentations.html

4. 4
The fifth question to be clarified concerns threats to planet Earth from the collision of
asteroids, comets or pieces of comets (Figure 6), planets of the solar system (Figure 7)
and orphan planets that roam in outer space (Figure 8) and the emission of cosmic rays
(Figure 9). It is necessary to consider that the extermination of the dinosaurs occurred 65
million years ago due to an impact of an asteroid 10 km in diameter. The Earth may be
on a collision course with the planets Mercury, Venus or Mars in at least 1 billion years
from now. There is also the possibility of a collision with planet Earth from orphaned or
wandering planets that can reach tens of billions and possibly even trillions. Another
major threat to planet Earth and space travelers is represented by cosmic rays that are
emitted by sources that include the sun, stars, galaxies and black holes. Supernovas
(gigantic explosions of stars that collapse by matter falling into black holes) also emit
gamma rays that could devastate our planet in a way similar to a total thermonuclear war.
Cosmic rays can cause genetic changes. In long-term space travel in outer space, cosmic
rays can pose an immense danger to human health. In view of these threats to life on
planet Earth, it is important to clarify this issue in order to adopt solutions aimed at
protecting human beings.
Figure 6- Collision of asteroids and comets with planet Earth
Source: https://br.sputniknews.com/ciencia_tecnologia/2019092114542394-rota-de-colisao-nasa-rastreia-
asteroide-em-direcao-a-terra-neste-sabado/
Figure 7- Collision of planets in the solar system with planet Earth
Source: https://cursoenemgratuito.com.br/sistema-solar/

5. 5
Figure 8- Collision of orphaned planets with planet Earth
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92cO0L1rETU
Figure 9- Cosmic rays
Source: https://www.astropt.org/2015/06/07/a-particula-que-quebrou-um-limite-de-velocidade-cosmica/
The sixth question to be elucidated concerns the identification of possible alternative
habitable places for humans in the solar system and outside it to enable the escape of
humans from planet Earth in search of their survival with the implantation of space
colonies in the solar system in places possible habitable ones like Mars (Figure 10), Titan
- moon of Saturn (Figure 11), Callisto - moon of Jupiter (Figure 12) or outside the solar
system as in the exoplanet Proxima b located in the Alpha Centauri system (Figure 13).
The biggest challenge will be to seek the escape of humanity to a planet in a closer galaxy
such as the Dwarf Galaxy of the Big Dog located 25,000 light-years from Earth.
Humanity needs to develop scientific and technological resources to make it possible to
escape to a planet in the solar system, reach the habitable exoplanet, "Proxima b" orbiting
the closest star to the Sun that is part of the Alpha Centauri system, the nearest galaxy
like the Dwarf Galaxy of the Big Dog, and seek a way out to a parallel universe before
the end of our Universe.

6. 6
Figure 10- Planet Mars
Source: https://olhardigital.com.br/2020/12/18/noticias/nasa-aprova-nova-etapa-de-missao-para-buscar-
amostras-de-marte/
Figure 11- Titan (Saturn's moon)
Source: https://br.sputniknews.com/ciencia_tecnologia/2018072111770990-nasa-lua-saturno-tita-fotos/
Figure 12- Callisto (Jupiter's moon)
Source: https://pixabay.com/pt/illustrations/j%C3%BApiter-calisto-lua-de-j%C3%BApiter-lua-529959/

7. 7
Figure 13- Exoplanet Proxima b located in the Alpha Centauri system
Source:https://austria-
forum.org/af/Wissenssammlungen/Essays/Naturwissenschaften/Proxima_Centauri_b
The seventh question to be elucidated concerns the size of the Universe to determine
whether it is finite or infinite and its shape to determine whether it is flat or spherical.
Determining the size of the Universe is an important and complex task because, so far,
we do not know if there is anything beyond what our most powerful telescopes have ever
been able to record. All the cosmological data collected to date fit the idea that the
Universe is flat. There are, however, opponents of the Flat Universe Theory who defend
the thesis of a spherical, or closed, Universe. Determine the size and shape of the Universe
(flat or spherical) needs to be clarified to better understand the Universe (Figure 14).
Figure 14- Observable universe seen from planet Earth
Source: https://www.facebook.com/decifrandoastronomia/posts/2534658206777733/

8. 8
The eighth question to be elucidated concerns the fate of our Universe whether there will
be contraction starting a new Universe, expansion with its thermal death, the end of the
Universe as a cold, dark and empty place or unlimited expansion until its disintegration.
Knowing the future evolution and the destiny of the Universe is of fundamental
importance for the formulation of strategies for the survival of humanity.
The ninth question to be elucidated concerns the existence or not of multiverse or parallel
universes because the elucidation of their existence opens the possibility for human
beings to survive the end of our Universe by moving to other parallel universes. The idea
that we live in a “multiverse” composed of an infinite number of parallel universes has,
for many years, been considered a scientific possibility. The challenge is to find a way to
test this theory. The universes would be, in an analogy, similar to bubbles floating in a
larger space capable of housing them (Figure 15).
Figure 15- Parallel universes
Source: https://www.epochtimes.com.br/assets/uploads/2013/08/ct-multiverso-dimensoes-energia-
795x447.jpg
Finally, the tenth question to be elucidated concerns the development of the final theory
or theory of everything, that is, of the unified field theory that would seek to explain and
connect in a single theoretical structure all physical phenomena joining quantum
mechanics and the theory of general relativity in a single theoretical and mathematical
treatment. The theory of the unified field would collaborate in the sense that science
provides the conditions for humanity to face the threats to its survival that exist in outer
space and would allow to verify the consequences of the use of advanced technologies
for the benefit of humanity. There is still no accepted unified field theory, and this subject
remains an open field for research.
The top 10 cosmological issues presented in this article need to be elucidated without
delay. The success in elucidating these cosmological issues will provide the conditions to
get to know the Universe and, consequently, promote the technological advancement
essential to the adoption of strategies aimed at the survival of humanity as a species.

9. 9
* Fernando Alcoforado, 81, awarded the medal of Engineering Merit of the CONFEA / CREA System,
member of the Bahia Academy of Education, engineer and doctor in Territorial Planning and Regional
Development by the University of Barcelona, university professor and consultant in the areas of
strategic planning, business planning, regional planning and planning of energy systems, is author of the
books Globalização (Editora Nobel, São Paulo, 1997), De Collor a FHC- O Brasil e a Nova (Des)ordem
Mundial (Editora Nobel, São Paulo, 1998), Um Projeto para o Brasil (Editora Nobel, São Paulo, 2000), Os
condicionantes do desenvolvimento do Estado da Bahia (Tese de doutorado. Universidade de
Barcelona,http://www.tesisenred.net/handle/10803/1944, 2003), Globalização e Desenvolvimento (Editora
Nobel, São Paulo, 2006), Bahia- Desenvolvimento do Século XVI ao Século XX e Objetivos Estratégicos
na Era Contemporânea (EGBA, Salvador, 2008), The Necessary Conditions of the Economic and Social
Development- The Case of the State of Bahia (VDM Verlag Dr. Müller Aktiengesellschaft & Co. KG,
Saarbrücken, Germany, 2010), Aquecimento Global e Catástrofe Planetária (Viena- Editora e Gráfica,
Santa Cruz do Rio Pardo, São Paulo, 2010), Amazônia Sustentável- Para o progresso do Brasil e combate
ao aquecimento global (Viena- Editora e Gráfica, Santa Cruz do Rio Pardo, São Paulo, 2011), Os Fatores
Condicionantes do Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social (Editora CRV, Curitiba, 2012), Energia no
Mundo e no Brasil- Energia e Mudança Climática Catastrófica no Século XXI (Editora CRV, Curitiba,
2015), As Grandes Revoluções Científicas, Econômicas e Sociais que Mudaram o Mundo (Editora CRV,
Curitiba, 2016), A Invenção de um novo Brasil (Editora CRV, Curitiba, 2017), Esquerda x Direita e a sua
convergência (Associação Baiana de Imprensa, Salvador, 2018, em co-autoria) and Como inventar o futuro
para mudar o mundo (Editora CRV, Curitiba, 2019).