Archive · 22 May 2025
Ancient Solar Storm: Most Powerful Ever Recorded
Imagine the sun having a huge temper tantrum a long, long time ago!
Scientists found evidence of this in old trees.
They saw a massive burst of energy from the sun, much bigger than any storm we've seen in modern times.
This ancient storm happened over 14,000 years ago and was incredibly powerful, far exceeding even the biggest storms of recent history.
Scientists studied tiny bits in the tree rings to learn about the storm and understand how space weather can affect our planet, which helps us prepare for similar events.
Scientists discovered a 14,300-year-old solar storm.
The storm was the most powerful ever recorded.
Researchers analyzed carbon-14 from fossil tree rings.
The storm's power was 500 times greater than the 2003 Halloween solar storm.
The event occurred during the waning years of the last Ice Age.
- Who
- Scientists at the University of Oulu.
- What
- Scientists discovered a 14,000-year-old solar storm, the most powerful ever recorded, using carbon-14 analysis in tree rings.
- When
- The storm occurred around 12,350 BC.
- Where
- The study was conducted by scientists at the University of Oulu in Finland.
- Why
- To understand extreme space weather events and their potential impact on Earth.
- Storm Age
- 14,300 years old
- Location of Study
- University of Oulu, Finland
- Event Date
- 12,350 BC
- Comparison
- 500 times stronger than the 2003 Halloween solar storm
- Method
- Analysis of carbon-14 in tree rings