Post by Bobby. on Sep 23rd, 2026 at 5:32am
https://www.newscientist.com/interactives/sh/how-ancient-trees-are-warning-us-about-the-next-enormous-solar-storm/index.html
How ancient trees are warning us about the next enormous solar storm
Our sun is capable of storms far bigger than we’ve ever recorded.
Studying the world’s oldest trees suggests we could soon be due one of these gargantuan events
By Jacklin Kwan
11 August 2026
The first clear sign of exceptionally high solar activity came from Japanese cedar trees.
We know events like flares can be dramatic because they’ve happened before. In the summer of 1859, the sun produced the most famous solar storm in recorded history: the Carrington event. The eruption was so intense that telegraph lines across Europe and North America caught fire. Auroras, usually confined to polar skies, were seen deep into the tropics.
Ever since, Carrington has been the benchmark for solar violence. But the strange thing is that even Carrington wasn’t powerful enough to leave a clear carbon-14 signature in tree rings. To do that, the sun would need to unleash a storm 10 times larger – a superflare. This ancient storm wouldn't be like anything that we've seen during the space age, when we've observed the sun up close with satellites.
How ancient trees are warning us about the next enormous solar storm
Our sun is capable of storms far bigger than we’ve ever recorded.
Studying the world’s oldest trees suggests we could soon be due one of these gargantuan events
By Jacklin Kwan
11 August 2026
The first clear sign of exceptionally high solar activity came from Japanese cedar trees.
We know events like flares can be dramatic because they’ve happened before. In the summer of 1859, the sun produced the most famous solar storm in recorded history: the Carrington event. The eruption was so intense that telegraph lines across Europe and North America caught fire. Auroras, usually confined to polar skies, were seen deep into the tropics.
Ever since, Carrington has been the benchmark for solar violence. But the strange thing is that even Carrington wasn’t powerful enough to leave a clear carbon-14 signature in tree rings. To do that, the sun would need to unleash a storm 10 times larger – a superflare. This ancient storm wouldn't be like anything that we've seen during the space age, when we've observed the sun up close with satellites.
