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Time of India
26-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Scientists discover 14000-year-old solar storm which was so powerful that it could fry modern technology in seconds
Throughout history, our planet has been bombarded by solar storms, in the form of bursts of charged particles from the Sun that interact with Earth's magnetic field. Today as most of the world is dependent on technology and signals, even relatively mild space weather can disrupt satellites, power grids, and communications systems. But what if the worst is yet to be discovered, not in the future, but hidden in our distant past? In recent decades, scientists have grown increasingly interested in ancient solar activity. Unlike short-term observations from satellites, nature provides its own long-term record keepers, like tree rings and ice cores. These natural archives hold clues about the Sun's behaviour over thousands of years. Such discoveries not only help us understand our star's historical tantrums but also prepare us for the possibility of future solar storms that could cause massive disruptions to modern technology. The latest discovery has shocked the researchers. Evidence now points to a colossal solar storm that hit Earth over 14,000 years ago, and that storm was possibly far stronger than anything previously recorded, and powerful enough to severely impact today's global infrastructure if it were to happen again. In a study to be published in the July 2025 issue of Earth and Planetary Science Letters, researchers reveal that a solar storm around 12,350 BC left a dramatic carbon signature still visible today. This event, known as a "Miyake Event", named after Japanese physicist Fusa Miyake, who first identified such spikes in 2012, surpasses even the infamous 1859 Carrington Event, long considered the most intense solar storm in recorded history. Miyake Events are characterized by sudden surges in carbon-14, a radioactive isotope created when solar particles bombard Earth's atmosphere. This latest event was identified through tree ring samples from Scots Pines growing along the Drouzet River in France. The carbon-14 spike was validated by elevated beryllium-10 levels found in Greenland ice cores, indicating a truly global phenomenon. What sets this event apart, besides its sheer scale, is the timing. Occurring during the Ice Age, when Earth's atmospheric and magnetic conditions differed massively from today, and the signals were harder to interpret. To overcome this, scientists Kseniia Golubenko and Ilya Usoskin of the University of Oulu in Finland developed a specialized chemistry-climate model that accounted for ancient variables like sea levels, ice sheet positions, and geomagnetic fields. Their analysis revealed that this ancient solar storm unleashed a solar particle barrage 500 times stronger than the most intense storm recorded by satellites in 2005. As Usoskin explained, 'During the 2005 event, a passenger flying over the poles might have received a year's worth of cosmic radiation in one hour; during the Ice Age event, the same dose would have been delivered in just eight seconds.'
India Today
24-05-2025
- Science
- India Today
Blast from the Sun 14,000 years ago was so powerful trees still remember it
Scientists have uncovered evidence of a colossal solar storm that struck Earth more than 14,000 years ago, an event so powerful that its effects are still recorded in tree rings in the upcoming July 2025 issue of Earth and Planetary Science Letters, this ancient storm, which occurred around 12,350 BC, dwarfs any solar storm recorded in modern history and would wreak havoc on today's technology if it were to happen as a "Miyake Event," this storm far surpasses the infamous Carrington Event of 1859, previously considered the benchmark for extreme solar activity. Miyake Events are identified by spikes in carbon-14 levels found in tree rings—carbon-14 being a radioactive isotope produced when solar particles collide with Earth's atmosphere. Since the first discovery by Fusa Miyake in 2012, at least six such events have been confirmed, including those in 774 AD and 993 12,350 BC Miyake Event stands out due to its immense scale and the challenges it posed to scientists trying to interpret it. The spike in carbon-14 was detected in Scots Pine trees along France's Drouzet River, and corroborated by matching beryllium-10 levels in Greenland ice cores, confirming the storm's global interpreting these signals was complicated by the fact that the event occurred during the Ice Age, a period with very different atmospheric and climatic conditions compared to the relatively stable Holocene epoch when most other Miyake Events tackle this, researchers Kseniia Golubenko and Ilya Usoskin from the University of Oulu, Finland, developed a specialised chemistry-climate model. This model accounts for Ice Age variables such as ice sheet boundaries, sea levels, and geomagnetic fields, enabling accurate analysis of the ancient findings reveal that the 12,350 BC storm unleashed a solar particle bombardment 500 times stronger than the largest solar particle storm recorded by satellites in put this in perspective, during the 2005 event, a passenger flying over the poles might have received a year's worth of cosmic radiation in one hour; during the Ice Age event, the same dose would have been delivered in just eight discovery not only redefines the worst-case scenario for space weather but also opens the door to studying even older solar storms, potentially uncovering more extreme events hidden in Earth's ancient Watch
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
14,000 years ago, the most powerful solar storm ever recorded hit Earth. 'This event establishes a new worst-case scenario'
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. An extreme solar storm hit Earth some 14,300 years ago, more powerful than any other such event known in human history, a new analysis of radiocarbon data has revealed. The solar storm, the only known to have taken place in the last Ice Age, long eluded scientists as they lacked appropriate models for interpreting radiocarbon data from glacial climate conditions. But a new study by a team from the Oulu University in Finland has taken a stab at the measurement interpretation with eye-opening results. Using a novel chemistry-climate model, the team found that the marked spike in the carbon-14 isotope detected in fossilized tree rings was caused by a solar storm more than 500 times as powerful as the 2003 Halloween Solar Storm, which was the most intense in modern history. Solar storms generate major disruptions to Earth's magnetic field and dump enormous quantities of charged particles into the planet's atmosphere. These particles, mostly high-energy protons, boost the natural levels of carbon-14 — a radioactive isotope of carbon also known as radiocarbon. Carbon 14 is produced by interactions of nitrogen atoms in the atmosphere with cosmic rays. Scientists can use radiocarbon concentrations to date organic materials as the isotopes decay over time. In 2023, a major spike in radiocarbon concentrations in fossilized tree rings was discovered, indicating a major solar storm must have taken place as the last ice age was drawing to an end. The new study was finally able to precisely assess the magnitude of that solar storm and date it more accurately. The scientists believe that solar storm took place between January and April in the year 12,350 BC, likely dazzling the hundreds of thousands of mammoth hunters who lived in Europe at that time with the most awe-inspiring aurora borealis. "The ancient event in 12,350 BC is the only known extreme solar particle event outside of the Holocene epoch, the past approximately 12,000 years of stable warm climate," Kseniia Golubenko, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oulu and lead author of the new study, said in a statement. "Our new model lifts the existing limitation to the Holocene and extends our ability to analyze radiocarbon data even for glacial climate conditions." Scientists previously studied records of five other radiocarbon spikes found in tree ring data, which they attributed to powerful solar storms that had taken place in 994 AD, 775 AD, 663 BC, 5259 BC and 7176 BC. The strongest of these "Holocene" events was the 775 AD solar storm, which pummeled Earth at a time when Charles the Great reigned over the post-Roman Frankish empire in medieval Europe. Few written records have been preserved depicting that storm, but historians found hits of it in ancient Chinese and Anglo-Saxon chronicles. The recently analyzed storm of 12,350 BC was even stronger, having deposited about 18% more charged particles into the atmosphere, the study reveals. The scope of these enormous solar storms is important to understand for technology experts in the 21st century, which is much more vulnerable to the whims of the sun due to society's dependence on electronic systems and space technologies. "This event establishes a new worst-case scenario," Golubenko said. "Understanding its scale is critical for evaluating the risks posed by future solar storms to modern infrastructure like satellites, power grids, and communication systems." RELATED STORIES: — The US isn't prepared for a big solar storm, exercise finds — It's been one year since the most intense solar storm in decades created worldwide auroras. What have we learned? — Strongest solar flare of 2025 erupts from sun, sparking radio blackouts across Europe, Asia and the Middle East (video) Other solar storms in recent history show us just how much damage the sun's outbursts can cause here on Earth. The 1859 Carrington Event took down telegraph wires all over the world. The Halloween Storm of 2003, which was ten times weaker, caused chaos in Earth's orbit as satellites' trajectories changed unpredictably in the atmosphere which was suddenly much more dense due to interactions with charged particles from the sun. The Gannon Storm of 2024, similar in strength to the Halloween Storm, raised concerns of space sustainability experts as it triggered a "mass migration of satellites" when thousands of spacecraft began firing their thrusters to make up for altitude loss caused by atmospheric density changes. A storm as ferocious as the one of 12,350 BC would likely cause complete mayhem if it were to strike Earth and its surrounding space today. The study was published in the journal Earth and Planetary Sciences Letter on May 15.
Newsweek
16-05-2025
- Science
- Newsweek
Strongest Solar Storm Ever 'Establishes a New Worst-Case Scenario'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. New research has pinpointed the exact date when the strongest ever solar particle storm hit the Earth. This identification of the event, which occurred in 12,350 B.C., rewrites what scientists considered possible when it comes to extreme space weather. "Compared to the largest event of the modern satellite era—the 2005 particle storm—the ancient 12350 BC event was over 500 times more intense, according to our estimates," said paper author and physicist Kseniia Golubenko of Finland's University of Oulu in a statement. At the core of this discovery is SOCOL:14C-Ex, a novel chemistry–climate model developed by Golubenko and fellow Oulu astrophysicist professor Ilya Usoskin. Designed to reconstruct solar particle events under ancient glacial climate conditions, the model allowed the international team to pinpoint and assess an extreme radiocarbon spike during the waning stages of the last Ice Age. "This event establishes a new worst-case scenario," Golubenko said in a statement. "Understanding its scale is critical for evaluating the risks posed by future solar storms to modern infrastructure like satellites, power grids, and communication systems." A 3D rendered image of a solar storm. A 3D rendered image of a solar storm. Getty Images Their analysis confirmed that the event was about 18 percent stronger than previous record-holder, a storm in AD 775 recorded in tree-ring records . Other notable solar particle storms have occurred in 7,176 B.C., 5,259 B.C., 663 B.C. and 994 A.D.—but none came close to the ferocity of the newly-identified ancient event. The discovery was made possible through radiocarbon measurements of wood samples recently unearthed in the French Alps dating back some 14,300 years. While earlier observations had noted a significant increase in radiocarbon from that era, scientists lacked a reliable model to interpret the magnitude of the event—until now. The SOCOL:14C-Ex model was validated using known data from the AD 775 storm and successfully extended to simulate late Ice Age conditions. This validation across both Holocene and glacial periods marks a critical step forward in analyzing radiocarbon anomalies from different climatic and geomagnetic time periods. What Are Solar Storms? Solar particle storms, while rare, pose a significant risk to modern technology. When they occur, these sudden explosions of energy, magnetic fields and material blast Earth with high-energy particles that can disrupt satellites, navigation systems, aviation, and power grids. The infamous Carrington Event of 1859, often cited as the worst-case scenario for solar storms, was not a particle storm. This distinction matters because particle storms can have even more widespread atmospheric effects, and the new findings revise our understanding of solar physics and such space weather extremes. Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about solar storms? Let us know via science@ Reference Golubenko, K., Usoskin, I., Rozanov, E., & Bard, E. (2025). New SOCOL:14C-Ex model reveals that the Late-Glacial radiocarbon spike in 12350 BC was caused by the record-strong extreme solar storm. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 661, 119383.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
The Most Violent Solar Storm Ever Detected Hit Earth in 12350 BCE
A huge cosmic event some 14,300 years ago was so powerful, it left a discernible mark on our planet. In the partially fossilized trunks of ancient trees, and excavated cores of millennia-old ice, scientists have found evidence that suggests some sort of massive space event took place in around 12350 BCE. New work using a specially developed climate-chemistry model called SOCOL:14C-Ex clinches it. The culprit behind the huge particle influx during that time was a giant event from the Sun, pelting Earth with particles in the biggest geomagnetic storm we have on record. "Compared to the largest event of the modern satellite era – the 2005 particle storm – the ancient 12350 BCE event was over 500 times more intense, according to our estimates," says space physicist Kseniia Golubenko of the University of Oulu in Finland. A geomagnetic storm is an event usually associated with a coronal mass ejection, a huge expulsion of billions of tons of plasma, enmeshed with a magnetic field, from the Sun. When this particle influx slams into Earth, all sorts of wacky shenanigans can ensue. The aurora australis and borealis are the most well-known manifestations of a geomagnetic storm, but such disturbances can get dangerous when mixed with our technology. The most famous example is the Carrington Event of September 1859, in which currents in the atmosphere then ran along Earth's surface, wiping out telegraph systems around the world, triggering fires and mayhem. Another big geomagnetic storm in 1989 saw multiple power grid failures and disruptions. We know that the Sun is capable of much bigger outbursts, though. But because human records of solar storms are patchy at best, it's difficult to gauge just how strong a geomagnetic storm can get. However, one quirk of geomagnetic storms is that they temporarily increase the amount of the radioactive carbon-14 that's constantly raining down on Earth. This radiocarbon is produced in the upper atmosphere when cosmic particles, like the particles belched out by the Sun, interact with atmospheric particles. Carbon-14 is incorporated into organisms, such as trees and animals, and because it decays at a known rate, scientists can use it to determine when these organisms lived. Here's where it gets interesting: a huge spike in carbon-14 in a tree ring can be used not just to detect, but narrow down the date of a geomagnetic storm. This is what researchers did to identify a potential giant geomagnetic storm 14,000 years ago, as explained in a 2023 paper. Other such events have been traced to around 994 CE, 660 BCE, 5259 BCE, and 7176 BCE, with the most recent (and previously largest known) being 774 CE. The 12350 BCE event, however, is different from the others, which is why the team needed to design a model to understand it better. "The ancient event in 12350 BCE is the only known extreme solar particle event outside of the Holocene epoch, the past ~12,000 years of stable warm climate," Golubenko says. "Our new model lifts the existing limitation to the Holocene and extends our ability to analyze radiocarbon data even for glacial climate conditions." The researchers tested their model on the 774 CE event, and then, once it returned accurate results, used it to analyze the data from 12,350 BCE. This allowed them to probe the strength, timing, and terrestrial impact of the storm, confirming that it was the biggest solar particle storm that we know about. "This event establishes a new worst-case scenario," Golubenko says. "Understanding its scale is critical for evaluating the risks posed by future solar storms to modern infrastructure like satellites, power grids, and communication systems." The research has been published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters. Dark Matter Could Be Evolving, And The Implications Are Profound Kosmos 482's Final Descent Captured in One Haunting Image Sun Unleashes Most Powerful Flare We've Seen in 2025
