“EMom, if a nearby star went supernova, would Earth be safe?”
This depends on the distance and intensity of a supernova. It’s believed that a star in the Sco-Cen cloud (130-450 light years away) exploded 3 MYA, and had profound effects on Earth’s ecosystem.
http://www.myemom.com/if-a-nearby-star-went-supernova-would-earth-be-safe/