Explosions from the Sun could be secretly spiking your blood pressure
The findings, published in Communications Medicine, suggest that blood pressure levels rise and fall in patterns that mirror the intensity of geomagnetic disturbances.'We found that blood pressure and geomagnetic activity followed similar rhythms,' the researchers reported. Both showed cycles that repeated annually, every six months, and occasionally every three months. Interestingly, other well-known factors that influence blood pressure, such as air temperature and air pollution (PM2.5), did not show these repeating three-month cycles, suggesting that geomagnetic forces may be playing a distinct role.The effect appears to be stronger during years of heightened solar activity, when geomagnetic storms are more frequent. In such periods, blood pressure responded more quickly to changes in the geomagnetic environment. Women's blood pressure, in particular, was found to be more sensitive to these shifts compared with men.The study highlights potential risks for people with hypertension, a condition already affecting millions worldwide. 'Our results show that geomagnetic activity could aggravate blood pressure fluctuations, especially in vulnerable groups,' the authors said.They added that greater awareness of this link could help doctors and policymakers take space weather into account when planning public health responses.Solar storms, which can disrupt satellites, power grids, and communication systems, are already closely monitored by scientists. This research adds another dimension, human biology, to the growing list of their possible impacts.Experts say that while the exact mechanisms remain unclear, the findings open a new window into understanding how natural forces beyond Earth can influence human health. More research is needed to determine why geomagnetic activity affects blood pressure and how individuals can protect themselves during periods of high solar activity.For now, the study confirms that human beings are more connected to cosmic forces than we might imagine, our hearts and blood vessels may, quite literally, feel the pulse of the Sun.- EndsMust Watch
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India Today
12 hours ago
- India Today
Explosions from the Sun could be secretly spiking your blood pressure
A new study from China has revealed that disturbances in the Earth's magnetic field, triggered by solar activity, may have a surprising impact on human health, particularly on blood research, carried out over six years in the cities of Qingdao and Weihai, examined more than half a million blood pressure compared these measurements with geomagnetic activity (GMA), which is caused by fluctuations in solar energy interacting with Earth's magnetic The findings, published in Communications Medicine, suggest that blood pressure levels rise and fall in patterns that mirror the intensity of geomagnetic disturbances.'We found that blood pressure and geomagnetic activity followed similar rhythms,' the researchers reported. Both showed cycles that repeated annually, every six months, and occasionally every three months. Interestingly, other well-known factors that influence blood pressure, such as air temperature and air pollution (PM2.5), did not show these repeating three-month cycles, suggesting that geomagnetic forces may be playing a distinct effect appears to be stronger during years of heightened solar activity, when geomagnetic storms are more frequent. In such periods, blood pressure responded more quickly to changes in the geomagnetic environment. Women's blood pressure, in particular, was found to be more sensitive to these shifts compared with study highlights potential risks for people with hypertension, a condition already affecting millions worldwide. 'Our results show that geomagnetic activity could aggravate blood pressure fluctuations, especially in vulnerable groups,' the authors added that greater awareness of this link could help doctors and policymakers take space weather into account when planning public health storms, which can disrupt satellites, power grids, and communication systems, are already closely monitored by scientists. This research adds another dimension, human biology, to the growing list of their possible say that while the exact mechanisms remain unclear, the findings open a new window into understanding how natural forces beyond Earth can influence human health. More research is needed to determine why geomagnetic activity affects blood pressure and how individuals can protect themselves during periods of high solar now, the study confirms that human beings are more connected to cosmic forces than we might imagine, our hearts and blood vessels may, quite literally, feel the pulse of the Sun.- EndsMust Watch
Hindustan Times
15 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Astronomers discover mysterious ‘intestellar tunnels' in space. Here's more to it
Space is full of surprises, and it continues to baffle even experts! While most of us imagine our Solar System as planets surrounded by an empty void, astronomers are claiming that there's much more happening in the cosmic neighborhood. New studies conducted by astronomers at the Max Planck Institute, led by Dr. L. L. Sala and his colleagues have confirmed that the Sun sits inside a giant bubble of hot gas, and within it, there might be strange 'interstellar tunnels' connecting us to other star systems. New discovery indicates a network of "interstellar tunnels" connecting our Solar System with other stars.(Unsplash) A bubble born from explosions Decades of research has proved that the Solar System lies within a region of space known as the Local Hot Bubble (LBH) which spans across 300 light years, formed as a result of cosmic explosions called supernovas that occurred millions of years ago. These explosions caused the surrounding gas to heat up, resulting in a low-density, high-temperature environment, and traces of these activities are still present in the form of faint remnants of hot plasma. Dr. L. L. Sala and colleagues used data from the eRosita X-ray telescope to chart this region in unprecedented detail and Dr. Sala mentioned, 'We find the temperature of the LHB exhibits a north-south dichotomy at high latitudes,' in a paper published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. eRosita's research, combined with old data from ROSAT, another X-ray survey, indicate temperature differences across the region and faint traces of warm gas, dust cavities, and interstellar structures, offering the most refined picture yet of our cosmic neighborhood. Also read | Pune astronomers make vital space discovery: Galactic wind around tiny galaxy Intriguing cosmic channels The most intriguing finding from the study is what the team describes as 'interstellar tunnels' - channels of hot plasma that seem to extend from the Solar System, stretching towards the Centaurus constellation. Another such pathway appears to point towards Canis Major. These pathways, that could be part of a larger network of cosmic 'backroads,' connecting regions of the galaxy shaped by ancient supernovas, seem to cut through the hot plasma, forging channels between us and other distant star systems. The findings indicate that these may be part of a larger interconnected system stretching between star-forming regions and pockets of gas, lending weight to older theories about networks of dust cavities filled with hot gas resulting from supernova activities. Also Read | Harvard astronomer warns interstellar object moving towards Earth could 'save us or destroy us' Redefining the 'void' Space is far from empty and the Local Hot Bubble is proof that ancient supernovas and other cosmic activities have shaped today's cosmos into a complex environment intermingling with dust, plasma, radiation and magnetic fields, making the so-called 'void' far more complex than simple vacuum. The research team has successfully mapped out parts of the LBH and its peculiar passages but much remains unclear. Some areas appear to be connected by cavities, while others are blocked, indicating that more advanced research models are required to understand them. Astronomers claim that advanced X-ray missions, deeper surveys, and more refined models of hot gas distribution are required in order to understand more. Mapping them further could reveal how they shape cosmic rays, dust flow, and stellar winds. The new discovery reiterates the fact that even our local space holds surprises, challenging old assumptions and adding complexity to what lies between the Solar System and other nearby stars. As technology improves, each new finding will not only answer questions but also uncover more, gradually reshaping our understanding of the cosmos.
NDTV
a day ago
- NDTV
A New 'Earth' Next Door? Scientists Detect Possible Habitable Planet Around Closest Sun-Like Star
Astronomers may have uncovered a promising new candidate for extraterrestrial life, right in our stellar neighbourhood. Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), researchers have detected what appears to be a giant exoplanet orbiting Alpha Centauri A, the closest solar twin to our Sun. Located within the Alpha Centauri triple star system, this planet, tentatively named Alpha Centauri Ab, occupies the star's habitable zone, the optimal distance for liquid water to exist on its surface. The discovery, made possible through direct imaging, marks a significant milestone in exoplanet science. If confirmed, this would be the first time such a potentially habitable planet has been identified around our nearest Sun-like neighbour. Scientists believe that Alpha Centauri Ab's location in the "Goldilocks zone" could make it a prime target in the search for life beyond Earth. The finding also underscores JWST's unprecedented capabilities in spotting and studying distant worlds that were once invisible to astronomers. "We found that in half of the possible orbits simulated, the planet moved too close to the star and wouldn't have been visible to Webb in both February and April 2025," said astrophysicist Aniket Sanghi of the California Institute of Technology. Based on the brightness of the planet in the mid-infrared observations and the orbit simulations, researchers say it could be a gas giant approximately the mass of Saturn orbiting Alpha Centauri A in an elliptical path varying between one and two times the distance between the Sun and Earth. "If confirmed, the potential planet seen in the Webb image of Alpha Centauri A would mark a new milestone for exoplanet imaging efforts," Sanghi says. "Of all the directly imaged planets, this would be the closest to its star seen so far. It's also the most similar in temperature and age to the giant planets in our solar system and nearest to our home, Earth," he says. "Its very existence in a system of two closely separated stars would challenge our understanding of how planets form, survive, and evolve in chaotic environments." If confirmed by additional observations, the team's results could transform the future of exoplanet science. "This would become a touchstone object for exoplanet science, with multiple opportunities for detailed characterisation by Webb and other observatories," said Charles Beichman of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the NASA Exoplanet Science Institute at Caltech's IPAC astronomy centre, co-first author on the new papers.
