Launch Delays, Evolving Dark Matter, and Traces of a Catastrophic Solar Event

WEBVTT

0
00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:03.200
Anna: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your cosmic companion

1
00:00:03.200 --> 00:00:06.120
for all things space. I'm Anna, and

2
00:00:06.120 --> 00:00:09.000
I'm thrilled to bring you today's celestial roundup of

3
00:00:09.000 --> 00:00:11.920
the most fascinating developments from across the universe.

4
00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:15.600
Today we're exploring a diverse constellation of

5
00:00:15.600 --> 00:00:18.600
space news that spans from our own backyard to the very

6
00:00:18.600 --> 00:00:21.280
heart of our galaxy. We'll start with the latest on

7
00:00:21.280 --> 00:00:24.120
SpaceX's Starship program, where the FAA

8
00:00:24.120 --> 00:00:27.120
has made some crucial decisions about Flight 9 following

9
00:00:27.120 --> 00:00:30.040
March's explosive setback. Then we'll jet off

10
00:00:30.040 --> 00:00:32.940
to Australia, where a Histor rocket second launch

11
00:00:32.940 --> 00:00:35.620
attempt was scrubbed at the last minute due to an

12
00:00:35.620 --> 00:00:38.580
unexpected glitch. With a most peculiar payload

13
00:00:38.580 --> 00:00:41.460
aboard, our journey takes us deeper into space

14
00:00:41.460 --> 00:00:43.660
as we discover something truly remarkable.

15
00:00:44.140 --> 00:00:46.980
Planets forming in the extreme environment at the center of our

16
00:00:46.980 --> 00:00:49.980
Milky Way, challenging what scientists thought possible

17
00:00:49.980 --> 00:00:52.980
about planetary formation. We'll

18
00:00:52.980 --> 00:00:55.940
also delve into theoretical physics with a fascinating new

19
00:00:55.940 --> 00:00:58.420
proposal about dark matter. Could this

20
00:00:58.420 --> 00:01:01.420
mysterious substance actually be evolving over time?

21
00:01:01.740 --> 00:01:04.280
The answer might solve one of cosmology most

22
00:01:04.280 --> 00:01:07.200
persistent puzzles. And finally, we'll travel

23
00:01:07.200 --> 00:01:10.000
back in time to discover evidence of what may be the most

24
00:01:10.000 --> 00:01:12.800
violent solar storm ever to hit Earth. A

25
00:01:12.800 --> 00:01:15.640
cosmic event so powerful it left traces we can still

26
00:01:15.640 --> 00:01:18.280
detect 14,300 years later.

27
00:01:19.000 --> 00:01:21.760
So buckle up for a journey across space and time as we

28
00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:24.280
explore today's biggest astronomical breakthroughs.

29
00:01:25.800 --> 00:01:28.680
Let's m start with some SpaceX news. The

30
00:01:28.680 --> 00:01:31.520
Federal Aviation Administration has given SpaceX a

31
00:01:31.520 --> 00:01:34.120
conditional green light for its ninth Starship flight,

32
00:01:34.540 --> 00:01:37.220
approving license modifications but stopping short of

33
00:01:37.220 --> 00:01:39.900
authorizing an immediate launch. This decision

34
00:01:39.980 --> 00:01:42.700
comes in the wake of Flight 8's explosion in March,

35
00:01:43.020 --> 00:01:45.740
which created significant disruptions in our skies.

36
00:01:46.620 --> 00:01:49.500
Before Elon Musk's massive rocket can take to the

37
00:01:49.500 --> 00:01:52.180
launch pad again, SpaceX must wait for the

38
00:01:52.180 --> 00:01:55.060
FAA to either close its investigation into the

39
00:01:55.060 --> 00:01:57.980
Flight 8 mishap or make a specific return to

40
00:01:57.980 --> 00:02:00.380
flight determination. As you might recall,

41
00:02:00.890 --> 00:02:03.690
the previous test ended dramatically when the spacecraft

42
00:02:03.690 --> 00:02:06.650
began spinning uncontrollably with its engines cut off

43
00:02:06.650 --> 00:02:09.450
before exploding in space. That incident

44
00:02:09.450 --> 00:02:11.970
wasn't just a setback for SpaceX. It

45
00:02:11.970 --> 00:02:14.930
disrupted approximately 240 flights with

46
00:02:14.930 --> 00:02:17.850
space debris concerns forcing more than 24 aircraft

47
00:02:17.850 --> 00:02:20.810
into diversions. It's a stark reminder that even

48
00:02:20.810 --> 00:02:23.650
events happening in space can have very real consequences

49
00:02:23.650 --> 00:02:26.460
for air travel here on Earth. The

50
00:02:26.460 --> 00:02:29.260
FAA is currently reviewing SpaceX's mishap

51
00:02:29.260 --> 00:02:31.834
report, which was only submitted on May

52
00:02:31.926 --> 00:02:34.820
14. When Flight 9 does eventually launch,

53
00:02:34.900 --> 00:02:37.900
we'll see expanded safety measures, including larger

54
00:02:37.900 --> 00:02:40.900
aircraft and maritime hazard areas, both in the United States

55
00:02:40.900 --> 00:02:43.820
and other countries. This expansion stems

56
00:02:43.820 --> 00:02:46.500
directly from the March explosion and reflects Another

57
00:02:46.500 --> 00:02:49.220
notable first, SpaceX plans to

58
00:02:49.220 --> 00:02:51.980
reuse a UH previously launched super heavy booster

59
00:02:51.980 --> 00:02:54.980
rocket, marking an important milestone in the company's

60
00:02:54.980 --> 00:02:57.940
reusability goals. The impact on air travel will

61
00:02:57.940 --> 00:03:00.780
be substantial when the launch eventually proceeds.

62
00:03:01.180 --> 00:03:03.620
The flight path will affect air routes extending

63
00:03:03.620 --> 00:03:06.500
1,600 nautical miles eastward from

64
00:03:06.500 --> 00:03:08.940
Texas through the Straits of Florida.

65
00:03:09.260 --> 00:03:12.220
Both the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos are expected

66
00:03:12.220 --> 00:03:14.860
to close their airspace up to 6,000ft,

67
00:03:15.020 --> 00:03:17.980
while the FAA will close airspace above that level.

68
00:03:18.630 --> 00:03:20.670
All told, the agency estimates about

69
00:03:20.670 --> 00:03:22.870
175 flights will be affected.

70
00:03:23.990 --> 00:03:26.830
In a separate but related decision, the FAA

71
00:03:26.830 --> 00:03:29.430
has also approved increasing the number of launches at

72
00:03:29.430 --> 00:03:32.070
SpaceX's Boca Chica, Texas

73
00:03:32.070 --> 00:03:34.790
facility from five to as many as 25,

74
00:03:35.270 --> 00:03:38.190
a significant expansion of operations that

75
00:03:38.190 --> 00:03:41.030
had actually been announced back in March. While these

76
00:03:41.030 --> 00:03:43.830
setbacks may seem disappointing, it's worth

77
00:03:43.830 --> 00:03:46.510
remembering the ambitious nature of what SpaceX is

78
00:03:46.510 --> 00:03:49.320
attempting to the Starship system stands at a

79
00:03:49.320 --> 00:03:51.920
towering 403ft and represents the

80
00:03:51.920 --> 00:03:54.680
centerpiece of Musk's vision to eventually send

81
00:03:54.680 --> 00:03:57.520
humans to Mars, potentially as soon as the turn of the decade.

82
00:03:58.160 --> 00:04:01.080
The March explosion marked the second consecutive failure

83
00:04:01.080 --> 00:04:03.760
in SpaceX's test launch program, following

84
00:04:03.760 --> 00:04:06.240
another explosion in the seventh test flight.

85
00:04:06.720 --> 00:04:09.520
Both incidents occurred during early mission phases that

86
00:04:09.520 --> 00:04:12.320
SpaceX had previously navigated successfully,

87
00:04:12.810 --> 00:04:15.130
highlighting the ongoing challenges in developing such

88
00:04:15.130 --> 00:04:16.250
revolutionary technology.

89
00:04:18.090 --> 00:04:21.090
Next, an update from Australia in what

90
00:04:21.090 --> 00:04:23.850
would have been a historic moment for Australia's space industry,

91
00:04:24.330 --> 00:04:27.290
Gilmour Space Technologies has been forced to postpone

92
00:04:27.290 --> 00:04:29.970
its eagerly anticipated rocket launch after

93
00:04:29.970 --> 00:04:32.410
discovering a glitch in the nose cone mechanism.

94
00:04:33.050 --> 00:04:36.010
This would have marked the first time an Australian made rocket

95
00:04:36.330 --> 00:04:39.160
reached orbit from Australian soil. M

96
00:04:39.240 --> 00:04:42.080
the company reported Friday that an electrical fault erroneously

97
00:04:42.080 --> 00:04:44.840
triggered the opening mechanism of the carbon fiber nose

98
00:04:44.840 --> 00:04:47.800
cone during pre flight testing. In short,

99
00:04:47.960 --> 00:04:50.560
the nose cone fell off. This

100
00:04:50.560 --> 00:04:53.240
critical component is designed to shield the payload,

101
00:04:53.480 --> 00:04:55.920
in this case, quite charmingly, a jar of

102
00:04:55.920 --> 00:04:58.560
vegemite as the rocket ascends through Earth's

103
00:04:58.560 --> 00:05:01.440
atmosphere. Fortunately, the mishap

104
00:05:01.440 --> 00:05:04.120
occurred before fueling began at the company's spaceport near

105
00:05:04.120 --> 00:05:06.880
Bowen, a coastal township situated about

106
00:05:06.880 --> 00:05:09.560
1000km north of Brisbane in Queensland.

107
00:05:09.960 --> 00:05:12.840
Both the rocket and ground crew were unharmed in the incident.

108
00:05:13.320 --> 00:05:16.160
CEO Adam Gilmour maintained an optimistic

109
00:05:16.160 --> 00:05:19.000
outlook despite the setback, stating, while we're

110
00:05:19.000 --> 00:05:21.600
disappointed by the delay, we're already working through a

111
00:05:21.600 --> 00:05:24.280
resolution and expect to be back on the pad soon.

112
00:05:24.920 --> 00:05:27.560
He emphasized that safety remains their highest

113
00:05:27.560 --> 00:05:30.440
priority, a sentiment echoed by communications

114
00:05:30.440 --> 00:05:33.260
chief Michelle Gilmour, who noted that the team

115
00:05:33.260 --> 00:05:35.780
is accustomed to such challenges. We do

116
00:05:35.780 --> 00:05:37.820
rockets, they are used to setbacks.

117
00:05:38.540 --> 00:05:41.500
The 23 meter 3 stage ARIS rocket

118
00:05:41.500 --> 00:05:44.380
represents a significant achievement in Australian

119
00:05:44.380 --> 00:05:47.140
aerospace engineering. Weighing 30 tons when

120
00:05:47.140 --> 00:05:49.900
fully fueled, it employs a hybrid propulsion

121
00:05:49.900 --> 00:05:52.900
system combining solid inert fuel with a

122
00:05:52.900 --> 00:05:55.780
liquid oxidizer. The team expects the delay

123
00:05:55.780 --> 00:05:58.660
to last at least a few weeks as they transport a

124
00:05:58.660 --> 00:06:01.420
replacement nose cone to the launch site. This

125
00:06:01.420 --> 00:06:04.340
postponement follows another delay just the previous day

126
00:06:04.660 --> 00:06:07.580
caused by a bug in the external power system used for

127
00:06:07.580 --> 00:06:10.020
system checks. These consecutive

128
00:06:10.020 --> 00:06:13.020
setbacks highlight the inherent challenges in rocket

129
00:06:13.020 --> 00:06:15.820
development, even for a company with a decade of

130
00:06:15.820 --> 00:06:18.340
experience in the field. The choice of

131
00:06:18.340 --> 00:06:21.220
Vegemite as payload speaks to the Australian

132
00:06:21.220 --> 00:06:24.180
character of the mission, with Michelle Gilmour describing the

133
00:06:24.180 --> 00:06:26.980
iconic spread as hardy, resilient, like

134
00:06:26.980 --> 00:06:29.720
Ozzies. The payload reportedly remained

135
00:06:29.720 --> 00:06:31.800
intact despite the nosecone malfunction.

136
00:06:32.600 --> 00:06:35.400
With 230 employees and backing from venture

137
00:06:35.400 --> 00:06:38.200
capital group Blackbird and pension fund Hesta,

138
00:06:38.360 --> 00:06:41.240
Gilmour, Space Technologies has ambitious plans.

139
00:06:41.720 --> 00:06:44.360
While this test flight has been delayed, the company

140
00:06:44.360 --> 00:06:47.320
remains focused on beginning commercial launches by

141
00:06:47.320 --> 00:06:49.960
late 2026 or early 2027,

142
00:06:50.360 --> 00:06:53.320
potentially establishing Australia as a significant player

143
00:06:53.320 --> 00:06:56.250
in in the increasingly competitive commercial space launch

144
00:06:56.250 --> 00:06:56.610
industry.

145
00:06:58.210 --> 00:07:00.640
Let's move on out to some space news. In a uh,

146
00:07:00.690 --> 00:07:03.410
groundbreaking discovery that challenges our understanding of

147
00:07:03.410 --> 00:07:06.130
planetary formation, astronomers have found

148
00:07:06.130 --> 00:07:08.850
evidence of protoplanetary disks forming in the most

149
00:07:08.850 --> 00:07:11.610
extreme environment of our galaxy, its very

150
00:07:11.610 --> 00:07:14.370
center. An international team from Peking

151
00:07:14.370 --> 00:07:17.250
University, the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory,

152
00:07:17.490 --> 00:07:20.050
and the University of Cologne conducted the most

153
00:07:20.050 --> 00:07:22.730
detailed survey yet of the Milky Way's central

154
00:07:22.730 --> 00:07:25.010
molecular zone, or cmz,

155
00:07:25.330 --> 00:07:28.130
revealing that planets may be forming in places we never

156
00:07:28.130 --> 00:07:31.090
expected. Protoplanetary disks

157
00:07:31.090 --> 00:07:33.930
are essentially cosmic nurseries, swirling

158
00:07:33.930 --> 00:07:36.770
rings of gas and dust surrounding young stars where

159
00:07:36.770 --> 00:07:39.490
planets are born. Within these structures,

160
00:07:39.490 --> 00:07:42.130
tiny dust particles collide and stick together,

161
00:07:42.610 --> 00:07:45.570
gradually building into pebbles, boulders, and eventually

162
00:07:45.570 --> 00:07:48.290
planetary embryos through a process called core

163
00:07:48.290 --> 00:07:51.210
accretion. As these embryonic planets

164
00:07:51.210 --> 00:07:53.730
grow, they leave behind distinctive patterns that

165
00:07:53.730 --> 00:07:56.090
astronomers can detect with advanced telescopes.

166
00:07:56.810 --> 00:07:59.770
What makes this discovery so remarkable is the location.

167
00:08:00.170 --> 00:08:02.770
The galactic center presents incredibly harsh

168
00:08:02.770 --> 00:08:05.730
conditions with intense radiation, strong

169
00:08:05.730 --> 00:08:08.730
magnetic fields, and turbulent gas clouds,

170
00:08:08.890 --> 00:08:11.330
environments previously thought hostile to planet

171
00:08:11.330 --> 00:08:14.210
formation. Yet the research team identified

172
00:08:14.210 --> 00:08:16.930
over 500 dense cores where stars are

173
00:08:16.930 --> 00:08:19.210
forming under these remarkably different conditions.

174
00:08:20.330 --> 00:08:23.010
Detecting these systems was no small feat. The central

175
00:08:23.010 --> 00:08:25.530
molecular zone is approximately 17 billion

176
00:08:25.530 --> 00:08:28.490
astronomical units away and heavily obscured by dust.

177
00:08:28.890 --> 00:08:31.370
To overcome these challenges, the team employed the

178
00:08:31.370 --> 00:08:34.210
Atacama Large Millimeter Array, or alma,

179
00:08:34.210 --> 00:08:37.010
in Chile. This powerful radio telescope

180
00:08:37.010 --> 00:08:39.610
combines signals from widely spaced antennas to achieve

181
00:08:39.610 --> 00:08:42.610
extraordinary resolution, allowing researchers to observe

182
00:08:42.610 --> 00:08:45.290
structures as small as 1,000 astronomical

183
00:08:45.290 --> 00:08:48.140
units. Despite the immense distance, the team

184
00:08:48.140 --> 00:08:50.700
used a clever approach called dual band imaging

185
00:08:51.020 --> 00:08:53.900
Capturing two wavelengths at the same resolution to gather

186
00:08:53.900 --> 00:08:56.740
critical data on temperature, dust composition

187
00:08:56.740 --> 00:08:59.340
and structure. What particularly

188
00:08:59.340 --> 00:09:02.300
surprised researchers was that over 70% of

189
00:09:02.300 --> 00:09:05.180
the dense cores Appeared redder than expected,

190
00:09:05.820 --> 00:09:08.620
suggesting the presence of protoplanetary disks.

191
00:09:09.340 --> 00:09:12.060
As Feng Weishu from the University of Cologne's

192
00:09:12.060 --> 00:09:14.900
Institute of Astrophysics described it, we were

193
00:09:14.900 --> 00:09:17.820
astonished to see these little red dots across the

194
00:09:17.820 --> 00:09:20.700
whole molecular clouds. They are telling us the hidden

195
00:09:20.700 --> 00:09:23.060
nature of dense star forming cores.

196
00:09:23.860 --> 00:09:26.540
The findings suggest there may be over 300 potential

197
00:09:26.540 --> 00:09:29.300
disk forming systems in just three CMZ clouds,

198
00:09:29.460 --> 00:09:32.460
opening a new window into how planetary systems might form

199
00:09:32.460 --> 00:09:35.300
under radically different conditions Than those near our

200
00:09:35.300 --> 00:09:38.180
Sun. This diversity in planet forming

201
00:09:38.180 --> 00:09:40.780
environments could have profound implications for our

202
00:09:40.780 --> 00:09:43.750
understanding of exoplanet populations such as throughout

203
00:09:43.750 --> 00:09:46.670
the Galaxy. If planets can form in the

204
00:09:46.670 --> 00:09:49.630
turbulent high pressure environment at the galactic center,

205
00:09:49.870 --> 00:09:52.710
it suggests the building blocks of planetary systems

206
00:09:52.710 --> 00:09:55.190
Are far more resilient and adaptable than

207
00:09:55.190 --> 00:09:58.110
previously thought. As astronomers continue to

208
00:09:58.110 --> 00:10:00.990
study these distant protoplanetary disks, we

209
00:10:00.990 --> 00:10:03.790
may soon discover whether these early formations can

210
00:10:03.790 --> 00:10:06.790
indeed evolve into full planetary systems and

211
00:10:06.790 --> 00:10:09.670
how such processes might differ across the vast

212
00:10:09.670 --> 00:10:11.310
expanse of the Milky Way.

213
00:10:12.950 --> 00:10:15.270
Next up, everybody's favorite subject, dark matter.

214
00:10:15.990 --> 00:10:18.670
For a while now, cosmologists have been wrestling with a

215
00:10:18.670 --> 00:10:21.190
perplexing mystery known as the Hubble tension problem.

216
00:10:21.990 --> 00:10:24.630
While observations consistently support the expanding

217
00:10:24.630 --> 00:10:27.430
universe model, There's a troubling discrepancy.

218
00:10:27.910 --> 00:10:30.590
Measurements from the early cosmos show a lower

219
00:10:30.590 --> 00:10:32.870
acceleration rate Than what we observe locally.

220
00:10:33.510 --> 00:10:36.230
This inconsistency has led scientists to propose

221
00:10:36.230 --> 00:10:39.040
numerous potential solutions, from questioning

222
00:10:39.040 --> 00:10:41.760
general relativity to rethinking dark matter

223
00:10:41.840 --> 00:10:44.640
entirely. Now a fascinating new

224
00:10:44.640 --> 00:10:47.360
theory has emerged that puts a fresh spin on

225
00:10:47.360 --> 00:10:50.000
dark matter. What if it evolves over time?

226
00:10:50.640 --> 00:10:53.600
This concept is particularly novel because, while evolving

227
00:10:53.600 --> 00:10:56.520
dark energy has been proposed before, the idea of dark

228
00:10:56.520 --> 00:10:59.360
matter changing over time hasn't received much attention from

229
00:10:59.360 --> 00:11:01.760
researchers. There are good reasons for this

230
00:11:01.760 --> 00:11:04.720
oversight. First, we have excellent observational

231
00:11:04.720 --> 00:11:07.570
evidence for dark matter. It appears to be some kind

232
00:11:07.570 --> 00:11:10.010
of material that doesn't interact strongly with light,

233
00:11:10.410 --> 00:11:13.170
perfectly explaining galaxy rotation curves and

234
00:11:13.170 --> 00:11:16.130
gravitational lensing. The only major gap is

235
00:11:16.130 --> 00:11:18.650
our inability to directly detect dark matter

236
00:11:18.650 --> 00:11:21.570
particles. Second, most critics of

237
00:11:21.570 --> 00:11:24.490
dark matter theory Focus on eliminating it entirely through

238
00:11:24.490 --> 00:11:27.330
alternative M models like modified gravity, rather

239
00:11:27.330 --> 00:11:30.210
than refining the concept. What makes this

240
00:11:30.210 --> 00:11:32.810
new approach interesting is how it flips. Uh, our thinking.

241
00:11:33.130 --> 00:11:36.050
Researchers have found that models with evolving dark

242
00:11:36.050 --> 00:11:38.990
matter and constant dark energy can produce

243
00:11:38.990 --> 00:11:41.990
results similar to those with constant dark matter and

244
00:11:41.990 --> 00:11:44.870
evolving dark energy. To match observations,

245
00:11:45.350 --> 00:11:48.030
they propose that dark matter must have a changeable

246
00:11:48.030 --> 00:11:50.870
equation of state that oscillates over time.

247
00:11:51.430 --> 00:11:53.910
This isn't actually as strange as it might sound.

248
00:11:54.390 --> 00:11:56.870
Consider neutrinos. They have mass,

249
00:11:57.270 --> 00:12:00.190
don't interact strongly with light, and are effectively

250
00:12:00.190 --> 00:12:03.030
a form of hot dark matter, Though they can't account

251
00:12:03.030 --> 00:12:04.870
for all the dark matter in the universe.

252
00:12:06.170 --> 00:12:08.810
Importantly, neutrinos undergo mass oscillation.

253
00:12:09.370 --> 00:12:12.330
Perhaps cold dark matter particles experience something similar.

254
00:12:13.210 --> 00:12:16.090
The researcher's model suggests that roughly

255
00:12:16.090 --> 00:12:18.450
15% of cold dark matter might be

256
00:12:18.450 --> 00:12:21.210
oscillatory, with the remaining 85%

257
00:12:21.210 --> 00:12:23.970
being standard dark matter. This combination

258
00:12:23.970 --> 00:12:26.970
would address the Hubble tension while remaining consistent

259
00:12:26.970 --> 00:12:28.890
with our other dark matter observations.

260
00:12:29.690 --> 00:12:32.400
It's worth emphasizing that this remains a conceptual um,

261
00:12:32.410 --> 00:12:34.930
model without specific constraints for dark matter

262
00:12:34.930 --> 00:12:37.480
particles. The researchers themselves

263
00:12:37.480 --> 00:12:40.480
describe it as a toy model, a simplified

264
00:12:40.480 --> 00:12:43.160
framework that captures essential features while omitting

265
00:12:43.160 --> 00:12:45.640
details. Nevertheless, it opens an

266
00:12:45.640 --> 00:12:48.520
intriguing new avenue for dark matter research that

267
00:12:48.520 --> 00:12:51.120
broadens our thinking beyond conventional models

268
00:12:51.520 --> 00:12:54.480
as we continue to gather data and refine our understanding of

269
00:12:54.480 --> 00:12:57.400
the cosmos. Evolving dark matter might prove

270
00:12:57.400 --> 00:13:00.320
to be a valuable piece in solving one of astrophysics most

271
00:13:00.320 --> 00:13:03.030
persistent puzzles. At the very least, it

272
00:13:03.030 --> 00:13:06.030
demonstrates how creative thinking can help us tackle even the

273
00:13:06.030 --> 00:13:08.390
most fundamental questions about our universe.

274
00:13:09.830 --> 00:13:12.630
Finally, today, a little history lesson. Imagine

275
00:13:12.630 --> 00:13:15.350
discovering that 14,300 years

276
00:13:15.350 --> 00:13:18.230
ago, our planet was struck by a cosmic event

277
00:13:18.790 --> 00:13:21.350
so powerful it left physical evidence that

278
00:13:21.350 --> 00:13:24.030
scientists can still detect today. That's

279
00:13:24.030 --> 00:13:26.670
exactly what researchers have uncovered. The most

280
00:13:26.670 --> 00:13:28.790
violent solar storm in recorded history,

281
00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:32.080
dwarfing anything we've experienced in modern times.

282
00:13:32.800 --> 00:13:35.800
By examining partially fossilized tree trunks and ancient

283
00:13:35.800 --> 00:13:38.640
ice cores, scientists found unmistakable

284
00:13:38.640 --> 00:13:41.280
signatures of an extraordinary event that occurred around

285
00:13:41.280 --> 00:13:43.280
12,350 BCE.

286
00:13:44.080 --> 00:13:46.920
Using a specially developed climate chemistry model called

287
00:13:46.920 --> 00:13:47.600
SOCOL,

288
00:13:49.520 --> 00:13:52.520
researchers have now confirmed this was a massive solar storm, the

289
00:13:52.520 --> 00:13:55.330
biggest we've ever found evidence for. To put this

290
00:13:55.330 --> 00:13:57.850
in perspective, the ancient storm was more than

291
00:13:57.850 --> 00:14:00.850
500 times more intense than the largest event of the

292
00:14:00.850 --> 00:14:03.730
modern satellite era, which occurred in 2005. That's

293
00:14:03.730 --> 00:14:06.410
simply staggering when you consider the potential impacts.

294
00:14:07.370 --> 00:14:10.330
For those wondering how scientists can possibly know about something

295
00:14:10.330 --> 00:14:13.290
that happened so long ago, the answer lies in

296
00:14:13.290 --> 00:14:16.170
radioactive carbon 14. When the sun

297
00:14:16.170 --> 00:14:19.130
unleashes a, uh, powerful coronal mass ejection,

298
00:14:19.450 --> 00:14:22.210
essentially billions of tons of plasma with embedded

299
00:14:22.210 --> 00:14:24.850
magnetic fields, the particles interact with our

300
00:14:24.850 --> 00:14:27.450
atmosphere to temporarily increase carbon 14

301
00:14:27.530 --> 00:14:30.170
production. This carbon 14 gets

302
00:14:30.170 --> 00:14:32.490
incorporated into living organisms like trees,

303
00:14:32.810 --> 00:14:35.770
creating a distinctive spike in tree rings from that period.

304
00:14:36.330 --> 00:14:38.650
Since carbon 14 decays at a known rate,

305
00:14:39.049 --> 00:14:41.970
scientists can precisely date these events and even determine their

306
00:14:41.970 --> 00:14:44.290
relative strength. What makes the

307
00:14:44.290 --> 00:14:47.290
12,350 before Common Era event

308
00:14:47.290 --> 00:14:49.940
particularly significant is that it's the only

309
00:14:50.100 --> 00:14:53.060
known extreme solar particle event outside

310
00:14:53.060 --> 00:14:56.020
the Holocene epoch, the relatively stable

311
00:14:56.100 --> 00:14:58.980
warm climate period of the past 12,000 years.

312
00:14:59.540 --> 00:15:02.300
This required the researchers to develop new modeling

313
00:15:02.300 --> 00:15:05.060
approaches that could analyze radiocarbon data

314
00:15:05.060 --> 00:15:07.980
under different climate conditions. The

315
00:15:07.980 --> 00:15:10.740
implications for our modern world are sobering.

316
00:15:10.980 --> 00:15:13.660
We've already seen how smaller solar storms can

317
00:15:13.660 --> 00:15:16.530
disrupt technology like the carrington event

318
00:15:16.530 --> 00:15:19.250
of 1859, which set telegraph

319
00:15:19.250 --> 00:15:22.250
systems ablaze worldwide, or the 1989

320
00:15:22.250 --> 00:15:24.850
storm that caused multiple power grid failures.

321
00:15:25.250 --> 00:15:28.090
Now imagine something hundreds of times more powerful

322
00:15:28.090 --> 00:15:30.890
hitting our satellite dependent, electronically

323
00:15:30.890 --> 00:15:33.650
interconnected civilization. This discovery

324
00:15:33.650 --> 00:15:36.490
establishes a new worst case scenario for space

325
00:15:36.490 --> 00:15:39.250
weather preparedness. Understanding the potential

326
00:15:39.330 --> 00:15:42.290
scale of these events is crucial for evaluating risks

327
00:15:42.620 --> 00:15:45.300
to modern infrastructure, from power grids and

328
00:15:45.300 --> 00:15:48.300
communication systems to the satellites that enable everything

329
00:15:48.300 --> 00:15:51.260
from GPS navigation to weather forecasting.

330
00:15:52.060 --> 00:15:54.580
While such extreme events appear to be rare on human

331
00:15:54.580 --> 00:15:57.540
timescales, this research reminds us that the

332
00:15:57.540 --> 00:16:00.380
sun is capable of far more violent outbursts than anything

333
00:16:00.380 --> 00:16:03.300
we've witnessed in recent centuries. As we

334
00:16:03.300 --> 00:16:05.980
become increasingly dependent on vulnerable technologies,

335
00:16:06.300 --> 00:16:08.980
the importance of space weather monitoring and developing

336
00:16:08.980 --> 00:16:11.580
resilient systems becomes even more critical.

337
00:16:12.220 --> 00:16:15.140
This ancient solar tantrum, preserved in the rings of

338
00:16:15.140 --> 00:16:17.940
trees that stood witness to its fury, serves as

339
00:16:17.940 --> 00:16:20.940
both a scientific treasure and a warning from the distant past.

340
00:16:22.860 --> 00:16:25.820
And on that somber note, that wraps up another fascinating

341
00:16:25.820 --> 00:16:28.740
journey through our cosmos. From the earthbound

342
00:16:28.740 --> 00:16:31.620
challenges facing SpaceX's Starship and Australia's

343
00:16:31.620 --> 00:16:34.180
budding rocket program, to the mind bending

344
00:16:34.180 --> 00:16:36.860
discoveries of planets forming in our galaxy's heart

345
00:16:37.330 --> 00:16:40.330
and the possibility of evolving dark matter, we've

346
00:16:40.330 --> 00:16:42.610
covered quite the astronomical landscape today.

347
00:16:43.330 --> 00:16:46.210
And that ancient solar storm revelation really puts

348
00:16:46.210 --> 00:16:48.970
things in perspective, doesn't it? A cosmic

349
00:16:48.970 --> 00:16:51.850
event 500 times more powerful than anything we've

350
00:16:51.850 --> 00:16:54.810
experienced in modern times reminds us just how

351
00:16:54.810 --> 00:16:57.570
dynamic and sometimes temperamental our stellar

352
00:16:57.570 --> 00:17:00.570
companion can be. I'm Anna and I've been

353
00:17:00.570 --> 00:17:03.290
your guide through today's cosmic headlines on Astronomy

354
00:17:03.290 --> 00:17:06.140
Daily. If you enjoyed this episode and want to keep

355
00:17:06.140 --> 00:17:08.940
up with all the latest developments in space science and

356
00:17:08.940 --> 00:17:11.380
exploration, I invite you to visit our

357
00:17:11.380 --> 00:17:13.940
website@astronomydaily.IO

358
00:17:14.180 --> 00:17:16.820
where you can sign up for our free daily newsletter.

359
00:17:17.220 --> 00:17:19.940
There you'll also find our complete archive

360
00:17:19.940 --> 00:17:22.700
of past episodes ready for you to

361
00:17:22.700 --> 00:17:25.580
explore at your leisure. Don't forget to

362
00:17:25.580 --> 00:17:28.540
subscribe to Astronomy Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,

363
00:17:28.540 --> 00:17:31.510
YouTubeMusic, or wherever you get your podcasts. To ensure you

364
00:17:31.510 --> 00:17:34.070
never miss an episode, Each day brings new

365
00:17:34.070 --> 00:17:36.750
discoveries and insights into our fascinating universe,

366
00:17:36.830 --> 00:17:39.430
and I'd love to share them with you. Until

367
00:17:39.430 --> 00:17:42.310
tomorrow, keep looking up the cosmos never ceases

368
00:17:42.310 --> 00:17:43.070
to amaze.