In 1859, when Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species, Earth experienced one of the strongest solar storms in recorded history. Telegraph systems throughout Europe and North America were down, causing fires in some places. This event, later known as the Carrington event, was preceded by the first confirmed observation of a solar flare, an intense burst of radiation from the Sun. The flare launched brilliant auroras across the sky, signaling the start of a solar storm. Although the Carrington event was intense, new research shows that even more extreme solar storms have occurred in the past.

Radiocarbon traces from years ago

Scientists discovered evidence of these ancient storms by studying radioactive carbon levels in tree trunks. Fusa Miyake, a researcher at Nagoya University, led the team that discovered sudden spikes in radioactive carbon concentrations, indicative of extreme solar storms. Their findings include events such as those of AD774, AD993 and even further into 660BC and 5259BC. These solar storms were much stronger than the Carrington event, with the most intense storm on record occurring about 14,370 years ago, near the end of the last ice age.

Influence on modern technology

Solar storms occur when the Sun ejects charged particles that penetrate the Earth’s magnetic field. These storms can disrupt our technology infrastructure, including satellites, power grids and communications networks. The events identified in the tree rings suggest that our modern world would be susceptible to such an event. With solar storms capable of shutting down global systems, scientists are working to understand their frequency and intensity by studying ancient trees around the world. This research not only improves radiocarbon dating, but also helps us prepare for future solar storms, which could have devastating effects on today’s interconnected society.