At first glance, the idea seems perfect. Astronauts would not need a helmet to breathe freely. Unfortunately (or fortunately), the different gases that make up the atmosphere are not just for breathing. They also have effects on everything around us.
Hear the melody of the Universe
Thanks to the air, the sounds of space would have a means of transport to travel. Indeed, the objects that surround us, by moving, make the molecules that make up the air vibrate. These waves can reach our ears. Kind of like throwing a rock into a lake: small circular waves form around the impact, and slowly fade away as the water stays put. In the firmament, it’s the same scenario: stars explode, planets vibrate, solar winds blow… All of this, and more, has the potential to make molecules vibrate, if space were filled with air.
Simulation where a melody is created from the notes that the planets of the solar system make while vibrating.
Unfortunately, an astronaut on a spacewalk would not really hear all the sounds that celestial bodies produce. As on Earth, the further you are from the transmitter, the more difficult it is to perceive the noise it makes. Imagine: if it is impossible to perceive the sounds emitted only a few kilometers away, how could we hear the vibration of Saturn, a little less than 1.3 billion kilometers from the Earth? Yes, the melody of the Universe cannot be a reality.
Where it all goes wrong…
Hearing and breathing are the positive elements of an air-filled space. On the other hand, our world would not be all rosy in such a scenario. In fact, it would be extremely dark. Indeed, the moment the air would settle in the firmament, everything would collapse. First, the Earth would first pull air from space into its atmosphere, due to gravity. Greater atmospheric pressure would therefore be present on our planet, which would crush all forms of life, including humans. The greater the pressure, the higher the temperatures can rise. This is what would happen on Earth at that time. Thus, violent fires would rage all over the globe. Moreover, these flames would be our only source of light. Indeed, just like sounds, light waves spread the more they have to cross obstacles. Thus, those emitted by our star would have difficulty reaching the Earth, plunging it into endless night. All of this would happen within 24 hours of air appearing in the Universe.
Credits: Matt Howard
Another devastating element would be the friction now present in space. Currently, the symbioses between the planets and the Sun, just like that of the Earth and the Moon, are possible since nothing can stop their rotation. The air that would be present in space would create resistance, which would slow down the rotation of the Earth and the revolution of the Moon. This would happen relatively quietly. It is after 10 to 100 thousand years that our satellite would collide with the Earth, which would then be engulfed by the Sun.
Elsewhere in the Solar System
This is the fate that awaits the Earth if space suddenly fills with air, a hypothetical scenario, since impossible. Of course, other celestial bodies float in our solar system and they too would experience the catastrophic consequences of such an event.
Just like Earth, terrestrial planets like Mercury, Venus and Mars would eventually crash into the Sun. The fate of gas giants, such as Jupiter and Saturn, is quite different. They too would attract gases from the air into their atmosphere, thanks to gravity. However, failing to see everything crash, their size would gradually increase, as would their mass. Thus they would have the possibility of becoming stars proper. To achieve this, Jupiter must gain at least 60 times its current mass and Saturn at least 50 times. In our world, such an event is rather impossible.
Moreover, the whole firmament would experience a nasty change. Scientists believe that new types of stars would emerge, such as those composed mainly of oxygen and nitrogen. This composition is untraceable and impossible in the Universe that we know. Of course, these gases are part of the composition of the air, at 21% and 78% respectively. Eventually, the space would end up collapsing on itself and its mass would increase. According to simulations, this could help stop its expansion. The conclusion of this event would be a return to the birth of everything, that is, the Big Bang.
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