Highlights:
- SpaceX's Starship Flight 9 Update: Dive into the latest developments as the FAA gives a conditional green light for SpaceX's ninth Starship flight following the explosive mishap of Flight 8. Discover the implications for air travel and the ambitious plans for the future of space exploration.
- Gilmour Space Technologies' Launch Delay: Learn about the recent postponement of Australia's first sovereign orbital launch attempt due to a nose cone malfunction. Despite the setback, the team remains optimistic about the future of Australian aerospace engineering.
- Planet Formation in Galactic Center: Explore the astonishing discovery of protoplanetary disks forming in the extreme conditions of the Milky Way's center, challenging previous notions of planetary formation and expanding our understanding of the universe.
- Evolving Dark Matter Theory: Delve into a novel proposal suggesting that dark matter may evolve over time, offering fresh insights into the Hubble tension problem and opening new avenues for research in cosmology.
- Evidence of Ancient Solar Storm: Uncover the findings surrounding the most violent solar storm in recorded history, which struck Earth 14,300 years ago. Learn how this event could inform modern space weather preparedness in our technology-dependent world.
For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io. Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTubeMusic, TikTok, and our new Instagram account! Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Thank you for tuning in. This is Anna signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and stay curious about the wonders of our universe.
Chapters:
00:00 - Welcome to Astronomy Daily
01:10 - SpaceX's Starship Flight 9 update
10:00 - Gilmour Space Technologies' launch delay
15:30 - Planet formation in the Milky Way's center
20:00 - Evolving dark matter theory
25:00 - Evidence of ancient solar storm
✍️ Episode References
SpaceX Starship Updates
[SpaceX](https://www.spacex.com/)
Gilmour Space Technologies
[Gilmour Space](https://gilmourspace.com/)
Protoplanetary Disks Research
[Peking University](https://www.pku.edu.cn/)
Dark Matter Theory
[University of Cologne](https://www.uni-koeln.de/en/)
Ancient Solar Storm Findings
[Climate Chemistry Model](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921818121002175)
Astronomy Daily
[Astronomy Daily](http://www.astronomydaily.io/)
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Anna: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your cosmic
00:00:02 --> 00:00:05 companion for all things space. I'm
00:00:05 --> 00:00:07 Anna, and I'm thrilled to bring you today's
00:00:07 --> 00:00:10 celestial roundup of the most fascinating
00:00:10 --> 00:00:11 developments from across the universe.
00:00:12 --> 00:00:15 Today we're exploring a diverse constellation
00:00:15 --> 00:00:17 of space news that spans from our own
00:00:17 --> 00:00:19 backyard to the very heart of our galaxy.
00:00:20 --> 00:00:21 We'll start with the latest on SpaceX's
00:00:21 --> 00:00:24 Starship program, where the FAA has made some
00:00:24 --> 00:00:27 crucial decisions about Flight 9 following
00:00:27 --> 00:00:30 March's explosive setback. Then we'll jet off
00:00:30 --> 00:00:32 to Australia, where a Histor rocket second
00:00:32 --> 00:00:34 launch attempt was scrubbed at the last
00:00:34 --> 00:00:37 minute due to an unexpected glitch. With
00:00:37 --> 00:00:40 a most peculiar payload aboard, our journey
00:00:40 --> 00:00:42 takes us deeper into space as we discover
00:00:42 --> 00:00:45 something truly remarkable. Planets forming
00:00:45 --> 00:00:46 in the extreme environment at the center of
00:00:46 --> 00:00:49 our Milky Way, challenging what scientists
00:00:49 --> 00:00:51 thought possible about planetary formation.
00:00:52 --> 00:00:54 We'll also delve into theoretical physics
00:00:54 --> 00:00:57 with a fascinating new proposal about dark
00:00:57 --> 00:00:59 matter. Could this mysterious substance
00:00:59 --> 00:01:02 actually be evolving over time? The answer
00:01:02 --> 00:01:04 might solve one of cosmology most persistent
00:01:04 --> 00:01:07 puzzles. And finally, we'll travel back in
00:01:07 --> 00:01:09 time to discover evidence of what may be the
00:01:09 --> 00:01:12 most violent solar storm ever to hit Earth.
00:01:12 --> 00:01:15 A cosmic event so powerful it left traces we
00:01:15 --> 00:01:18 can still detect 14 years later.
00:01:19 --> 00:01:21 So buckle up for a journey across space and
00:01:21 --> 00:01:22 time as we explore today's biggest
00:01:22 --> 00:01:24 astronomical breakthroughs.
00:01:25 --> 00:01:28 Let's m start with some SpaceX news. The
00:01:28 --> 00:01:30 Federal Aviation Administration has given
00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 SpaceX a conditional green light for its
00:01:32 --> 00:01:35 ninth Starship flight, approving license
00:01:35 --> 00:01:37 modifications but stopping short of
00:01:37 --> 00:01:39 authorizing an immediate launch. This
00:01:39 --> 00:01:41 decision comes in the wake of Flight 8's
00:01:41 --> 00:01:44 explosion in March, which created significant
00:01:44 --> 00:01:47 disruptions in our skies. Before
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 Elon Musk's massive rocket can take to the
00:01:49 --> 00:01:52 launch pad again, SpaceX must wait for the
00:01:52 --> 00:01:54 FAA to either close its investigation into
00:01:54 --> 00:01:57 the Flight 8 mishap or make a specific return
00:01:57 --> 00:02:00 to flight determination. As you might recall,
00:02:00 --> 00:02:03 the previous test ended dramatically when the
00:02:03 --> 00:02:05 spacecraft began spinning uncontrollably with
00:02:05 --> 00:02:07 its engines cut off before exploding in
00:02:07 --> 00:02:10 space. That incident wasn't just a setback
00:02:10 --> 00:02:13 for SpaceX. It disrupted approximately
00:02:13 --> 00:02:16 240 flights with space debris concerns
00:02:16 --> 00:02:18 forcing more than 24 aircraft into
00:02:18 --> 00:02:20 diversions. It's a stark reminder that even
00:02:20 --> 00:02:23 events happening in space can have very real
00:02:23 --> 00:02:25 consequences for air travel here on Earth.
00:02:26 --> 00:02:28 The FAA is currently reviewing SpaceX's
00:02:28 --> 00:02:31 mishap report, which was only submitted on
00:02:31 --> 00:02:34 May 14. When Flight 9 does
00:02:34 --> 00:02:36 eventually launch, we'll see expanded safety
00:02:36 --> 00:02:38 measures, including larger aircraft and
00:02:38 --> 00:02:40 maritime hazard areas, both in the United
00:02:40 --> 00:02:43 States and other countries. This expansion
00:02:43 --> 00:02:45 stems directly from the March explosion and
00:02:45 --> 00:02:48 reflects Another notable first, SpaceX
00:02:48 --> 00:02:51 plans to reuse a UH previously launched super
00:02:51 --> 00:02:53 heavy booster rocket, marking an important
00:02:53 --> 00:02:56 milestone in the company's reusability goals.
00:02:56 --> 00:02:58 The impact on air travel will be substantial
00:02:58 --> 00:03:01 when the launch eventually proceeds. The
00:03:01 --> 00:03:03 flight path will affect air routes extending
00:03:03 --> 00:03:06 1 nautical miles eastward from
00:03:06 --> 00:03:08 Texas through the Straits of Florida.
00:03:09 --> 00:03:11 Both the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos are
00:03:11 --> 00:03:13 expected to close their airspace up to
00:03:13 --> 00:03:16 6ft, while the FAA will close
00:03:16 --> 00:03:19 airspace above that level. All told,
00:03:19 --> 00:03:22 the agency estimates about 175 flights
00:03:22 --> 00:03:24 will be affected. In a separate but
00:03:24 --> 00:03:27 related decision, the FAA has also approved
00:03:27 --> 00:03:30 increasing the number of launches at SpaceX's
00:03:30 --> 00:03:33 Boca Chica, Texas facility from
00:03:33 --> 00:03:35 five to as many as 25, a significant
00:03:36 --> 00:03:38 expansion of operations that had actually
00:03:38 --> 00:03:41 been announced back in March. While these
00:03:41 --> 00:03:43 setbacks may seem disappointing, it's worth
00:03:43 --> 00:03:45 remembering the ambitious nature of what
00:03:45 --> 00:03:48 SpaceX is attempting to the Starship system
00:03:48 --> 00:03:51 stands at a towering 403ft and
00:03:51 --> 00:03:53 represents the centerpiece of Musk's vision
00:03:53 --> 00:03:55 to eventually send humans to Mars,
00:03:55 --> 00:03:57 potentially as soon as the turn of the
00:03:57 --> 00:03:59 decade. The March explosion marked the
00:03:59 --> 00:04:02 second consecutive failure in SpaceX's test
00:04:02 --> 00:04:04 launch program, following another explosion
00:04:04 --> 00:04:07 in the seventh test flight. Both incidents
00:04:07 --> 00:04:09 occurred during early mission phases that
00:04:09 --> 00:04:12 SpaceX had previously navigated successfully,
00:04:12 --> 00:04:14 highlighting the ongoing challenges in
00:04:14 --> 00:04:16 developing such revolutionary technology.
00:04:18 --> 00:04:21 Next, an update from Australia in what
00:04:21 --> 00:04:22 would have been a historic moment for
00:04:22 --> 00:04:25 Australia's space industry, Gilmour Space
00:04:25 --> 00:04:27 Technologies has been forced to postpone its
00:04:27 --> 00:04:29 eagerly anticipated rocket launch after
00:04:29 --> 00:04:31 discovering a glitch in the nose cone
00:04:31 --> 00:04:34 mechanism. This would have marked the first
00:04:34 --> 00:04:37 time an Australian made rocket reached orbit
00:04:37 --> 00:04:39 from Australian soil. M the company reported
00:04:39 --> 00:04:42 Friday that an electrical fault erroneously
00:04:42 --> 00:04:44 triggered the opening mechanism of the carbon
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 fiber nose cone during pre flight testing.
00:04:47 --> 00:04:49 In short, the nose cone fell off.
00:04:50 --> 00:04:52 This critical component is designed to shield
00:04:52 --> 00:04:55 the payload, in this case, quite charmingly,
00:04:55 --> 00:04:57 a jar of vegemite as the rocket ascends
00:04:57 --> 00:05:00 through Earth's atmosphere. Fortunately,
00:05:00 --> 00:05:02 the mishap occurred before fueling began at
00:05:02 --> 00:05:05 the company's spaceport near Bowen, a coastal
00:05:05 --> 00:05:08 township situated about 1000km north of
00:05:08 --> 00:05:10 Brisbane in Queensland. Both the rocket and
00:05:10 --> 00:05:12 ground crew were unharmed in the incident.
00:05:13 --> 00:05:16 CEO Adam Gilmour maintained an optimistic
00:05:16 --> 00:05:18 outlook despite the setback, stating, while
00:05:18 --> 00:05:20 we're disappointed by the delay, we're
00:05:20 --> 00:05:22 already working through a resolution and
00:05:22 --> 00:05:25 expect to be back on the pad soon. He
00:05:25 --> 00:05:27 emphasized that safety remains their highest
00:05:27 --> 00:05:29 priority, a sentiment echoed by
00:05:29 --> 00:05:32 communications chief Michelle Gilmour, who
00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 noted that the team is accustomed to such
00:05:34 --> 00:05:37 challenges. We do rockets, they are used to
00:05:37 --> 00:05:39 setbacks. The 23 meter
00:05:39 --> 00:05:42 3 stage ARIS rocket represents a significant
00:05:42 --> 00:05:44 achievement in Australian aerospace
00:05:44 --> 00:05:47 engineering. Weighing 30 tons when fully
00:05:47 --> 00:05:50 fueled, it employs a hybrid propulsion system
00:05:50 --> 00:05:53 combining solid inert fuel with a liquid
00:05:53 --> 00:05:56 oxidizer. The team expects the delay to last
00:05:56 --> 00:05:58 at least a few weeks as they transport a
00:05:58 --> 00:06:00 replacement nose cone to the launch site.
00:06:01 --> 00:06:03 This postponement follows another delay just
00:06:03 --> 00:06:05 the previous day caused by a bug in the
00:06:05 --> 00:06:08 external power system used for system checks.
00:06:08 --> 00:06:11 These consecutive setbacks highlight the
00:06:11 --> 00:06:13 inherent challenges in rocket development,
00:06:13 --> 00:06:15 even for a company with a decade of
00:06:15 --> 00:06:18 experience in the field. The choice of
00:06:18 --> 00:06:21 Vegemite as payload speaks to the Australian
00:06:21 --> 00:06:23 character of the mission, with Michelle
00:06:23 --> 00:06:25 Gilmour describing the iconic spread as
00:06:25 --> 00:06:27 hardy, resilient, like Ozzies.
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 The payload reportedly remained intact
00:06:30 --> 00:06:32 despite the nosecone malfunction. With
00:06:32 --> 00:06:35 230 employees and backing from venture
00:06:35 --> 00:06:37 capital group Blackbird and pension fund
00:06:37 --> 00:06:40 Hesta, Gilmour, Space Technologies has
00:06:40 --> 00:06:43 ambitious plans. While this test flight has
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 been delayed, the company remains focused on
00:06:45 --> 00:06:47 beginning commercial launches by late
00:06:47 --> 00:06:49 2026 or early 2027,
00:06:50 --> 00:06:52 potentially establishing Australia as a
00:06:52 --> 00:06:54 significant player in in the increasingly
00:06:54 --> 00:06:56 competitive commercial space launch industry.
00:06:58 --> 00:07:00 Let's move on out to some space news. In a
00:07:00 --> 00:07:02 uh, groundbreaking discovery that challenges
00:07:02 --> 00:07:04 our understanding of planetary formation,
00:07:05 --> 00:07:06 astronomers have found evidence of
00:07:06 --> 00:07:08 protoplanetary disks forming in the most
00:07:08 --> 00:07:11 extreme environment of our galaxy, its very
00:07:11 --> 00:07:14 center. An international team from Peking
00:07:14 --> 00:07:16 University, the Shanghai Astronomical
00:07:16 --> 00:07:19 Observatory, and the University of Cologne
00:07:19 --> 00:07:21 conducted the most detailed survey yet of the
00:07:21 --> 00:07:24 Milky Way's central molecular zone, or
00:07:24 --> 00:07:27 cmz, revealing that planets may be forming
00:07:27 --> 00:07:28 in places we never expected.
00:07:29 --> 00:07:32 Protoplanetary disks are essentially cosmic
00:07:32 --> 00:07:35 nurseries, swirling rings of gas and dust
00:07:35 --> 00:07:37 surrounding young stars where planets are
00:07:37 --> 00:07:40 born. Within these structures, tiny dust
00:07:40 --> 00:07:42 particles collide and stick together,
00:07:42 --> 00:07:44 gradually building into pebbles, boulders,
00:07:44 --> 00:07:47 and eventually planetary embryos through a
00:07:47 --> 00:07:49 process called core accretion. As
00:07:49 --> 00:07:52 these embryonic planets grow, they leave
00:07:52 --> 00:07:54 behind distinctive patterns that astronomers
00:07:54 --> 00:07:57 can detect with advanced telescopes. What
00:07:57 --> 00:07:59 makes this discovery so remarkable is the
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01 location. The galactic center presents
00:08:01 --> 00:08:04 incredibly harsh conditions with intense
00:08:04 --> 00:08:07 radiation, strong magnetic fields, and
00:08:07 --> 00:08:10 turbulent gas clouds, environments previously
00:08:10 --> 00:08:13 thought hostile to planet formation. Yet the
00:08:13 --> 00:08:15 research team identified over 500 dense
00:08:15 --> 00:08:17 cores where stars are forming under these
00:08:17 --> 00:08:20 remarkably different conditions. Detecting
00:08:20 --> 00:08:23 these systems was no small feat. The central
00:08:23 --> 00:08:25 molecular zone is approximately 17 billion
00:08:25 --> 00:08:27 astronomical units away and heavily obscured
00:08:27 --> 00:08:30 by dust. To overcome these challenges, the
00:08:30 --> 00:08:32 team employed the Atacama Large Millimeter
00:08:32 --> 00:08:35 Array, or alma, in Chile. This
00:08:35 --> 00:08:37 powerful radio telescope combines signals
00:08:37 --> 00:08:39 from widely spaced antennas to achieve
00:08:39 --> 00:08:41 extraordinary resolution, allowing
00:08:41 --> 00:08:43 researchers to observe structures as small as
00:08:43 --> 00:08:46 1 astronomical units. Despite the immense
00:08:46 --> 00:08:49 distance, the team used a clever approach
00:08:49 --> 00:08:51 called dual band imaging Capturing two
00:08:51 --> 00:08:53 wavelengths at the same resolution to gather
00:08:53 --> 00:08:56 critical data on temperature, dust
00:08:56 --> 00:08:58 composition and structure. What
00:08:58 --> 00:09:00 particularly surprised researchers was that
00:09:00 --> 00:09:03 over 70% of the dense cores
00:09:03 --> 00:09:06 Appeared redder than expected, suggesting the
00:09:06 --> 00:09:08 presence of protoplanetary disks.
00:09:09 --> 00:09:11 As Feng Weishu from the University of
00:09:11 --> 00:09:13 Cologne's Institute of Astrophysics described
00:09:13 --> 00:09:16 it, we were astonished to see these little
00:09:16 --> 00:09:19 red dots across the whole molecular clouds.
00:09:19 --> 00:09:21 They are telling us the hidden nature of
00:09:21 --> 00:09:24 dense star forming cores. The
00:09:24 --> 00:09:26 findings suggest there may be over 300
00:09:26 --> 00:09:28 potential disk forming systems in just three
00:09:28 --> 00:09:31 CMZ clouds, opening a new window into how
00:09:31 --> 00:09:33 planetary systems might form under radically
00:09:33 --> 00:09:35 different conditions Than those near our Sun.
00:09:36 --> 00:09:38 This diversity in planet forming environments
00:09:38 --> 00:09:40 could have profound implications for our
00:09:40 --> 00:09:43 understanding of exoplanet populations such
00:09:43 --> 00:09:46 as throughout the Galaxy. If planets can
00:09:46 --> 00:09:47 form in the turbulent high pressure
00:09:47 --> 00:09:50 environment at the galactic center, it
00:09:50 --> 00:09:52 suggests the building blocks of planetary
00:09:52 --> 00:09:54 systems Are far more resilient and adaptable
00:09:54 --> 00:09:57 than previously thought. As astronomers
00:09:57 --> 00:09:58 continue to study these distant
00:09:58 --> 00:10:01 protoplanetary disks, we may soon discover
00:10:01 --> 00:10:04 whether these early formations can indeed
00:10:04 --> 00:10:07 evolve into full planetary systems and how
00:10:07 --> 00:10:09 such processes might differ across the vast
00:10:09 --> 00:10:11 expanse of the Milky Way.
00:10:12 --> 00:10:14 Next up, everybody's favorite subject, dark
00:10:14 --> 00:10:17 matter. For a while now, cosmologists have
00:10:17 --> 00:10:19 been wrestling with a perplexing mystery
00:10:19 --> 00:10:22 known as the Hubble tension problem. While
00:10:22 --> 00:10:24 observations consistently support the
00:10:24 --> 00:10:26 expanding universe model, There's a troubling
00:10:26 --> 00:10:29 discrepancy. Measurements from the early
00:10:29 --> 00:10:31 cosmos show a lower acceleration rate Than
00:10:31 --> 00:10:33 what we observe locally. This
00:10:33 --> 00:10:36 inconsistency has led scientists to propose
00:10:36 --> 00:10:38 numerous potential solutions, from
00:10:38 --> 00:10:41 questioning general relativity to rethinking
00:10:41 --> 00:10:43 dark matter entirely. Now a
00:10:43 --> 00:10:46 fascinating new theory has emerged that puts
00:10:46 --> 00:10:49 a fresh spin on dark matter. What if it
00:10:49 --> 00:10:51 evolves over time? This concept is
00:10:51 --> 00:10:53 particularly novel because, while evolving
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 dark energy has been proposed before, the
00:10:55 --> 00:10:58 idea of dark matter changing over time hasn't
00:10:58 --> 00:11:00 received much attention from researchers.
00:11:00 --> 00:11:02 There are good reasons for this oversight.
00:11:02 --> 00:11:04 First, we have excellent observational
00:11:04 --> 00:11:07 evidence for dark matter. It appears to be
00:11:07 --> 00:11:09 some kind of material that doesn't interact
00:11:09 --> 00:11:11 strongly with light, perfectly explaining
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13 galaxy rotation curves and gravitational
00:11:13 --> 00:11:16 lensing. The only major gap is our inability
00:11:16 --> 00:11:19 to directly detect dark matter particles.
00:11:19 --> 00:11:22 Second, most critics of dark matter theory
00:11:22 --> 00:11:24 Focus on eliminating it entirely through
00:11:24 --> 00:11:26 alternative M models like modified gravity,
00:11:26 --> 00:11:29 rather than refining the concept. What makes
00:11:29 --> 00:11:31 this new approach interesting is how it
00:11:31 --> 00:11:33 flips. Uh, our thinking. Researchers have
00:11:33 --> 00:11:36 found that models with evolving dark matter
00:11:36 --> 00:11:39 and constant dark energy can produce results
00:11:39 --> 00:11:41 similar to those with constant dark matter
00:11:41 --> 00:11:44 and evolving dark energy. To match
00:11:44 --> 00:11:47 observations, they propose that dark matter
00:11:47 --> 00:11:49 must have a changeable equation of state that
00:11:49 --> 00:11:52 oscillates over time. This isn't actually as
00:11:52 --> 00:11:54 strange as it might sound. Consider
00:11:54 --> 00:11:57 neutrinos. They have mass, don't
00:11:57 --> 00:11:59 interact strongly with light, and are
00:11:59 --> 00:12:02 effectively a form of hot dark matter, Though
00:12:02 --> 00:12:04 they can't account for all the dark matter in
00:12:04 --> 00:12:06 the universe. Importantly,
00:12:06 --> 00:12:08 neutrinos undergo mass oscillation.
00:12:09 --> 00:12:11 Perhaps cold dark matter particles experience
00:12:11 --> 00:12:14 something similar. The researcher's model
00:12:14 --> 00:12:17 suggests that roughly 15% of cold
00:12:17 --> 00:12:19 dark matter might be oscillatory, with the
00:12:19 --> 00:12:22 remaining 85% being standard dark matter.
00:12:23 --> 00:12:25 This combination would address the Hubble
00:12:25 --> 00:12:27 tension while remaining consistent with our
00:12:27 --> 00:12:30 other dark matter observations. It's worth
00:12:30 --> 00:12:32 emphasizing that this remains a conceptual
00:12:32 --> 00:12:34 um, model without specific constraints for
00:12:34 --> 00:12:37 dark matter particles. The researchers
00:12:37 --> 00:12:40 themselves describe it as a toy model, a
00:12:40 --> 00:12:41 simplified framework that captures essential
00:12:41 --> 00:12:43 features while omitting details.
00:12:44 --> 00:12:46 Nevertheless, it opens an intriguing new
00:12:46 --> 00:12:48 avenue for dark matter research that broadens
00:12:48 --> 00:12:51 our thinking beyond conventional models as
00:12:51 --> 00:12:53 we continue to gather data and refine our
00:12:53 --> 00:12:56 understanding of the cosmos. Evolving dark
00:12:56 --> 00:12:58 matter might prove to be a valuable piece in
00:12:58 --> 00:13:00 solving one of astrophysics most persistent
00:13:00 --> 00:13:03 puzzles. At the very least, it demonstrates
00:13:03 --> 00:13:05 how creative thinking can help us tackle even
00:13:05 --> 00:13:07 the most fundamental questions about our
00:13:07 --> 00:13:08 universe.
00:13:09 --> 00:13:11 Finally, today, a little history lesson.
00:13:12 --> 00:13:15 Imagine discovering that 14
00:13:15 --> 00:13:17 years ago, our planet was struck by a cosmic
00:13:17 --> 00:13:20 event so powerful it left physical evidence
00:13:21 --> 00:13:22 that scientists can still detect today.
00:13:23 --> 00:13:25 That's exactly what researchers have
00:13:25 --> 00:13:28 uncovered. The most violent solar storm in
00:13:28 --> 00:13:30 recorded history, dwarfing anything we've
00:13:30 --> 00:13:33 experienced in modern times. By
00:13:33 --> 00:13:35 examining partially fossilized tree trunks
00:13:35 --> 00:13:37 and ancient ice cores, scientists found
00:13:37 --> 00:13:40 unmistakable signatures of an extraordinary
00:13:40 --> 00:13:42 event that occurred around 12
00:13:42 --> 00:13:45 BCE. Using a specially developed
00:13:45 --> 00:13:47 climate chemistry model called SOCOL,
00:13:49 --> 00:13:51 researchers have now confirmed this was a
00:13:51 --> 00:13:53 massive solar storm, the biggest we've ever
00:13:53 --> 00:13:55 found evidence for. To put this in
00:13:55 --> 00:13:57 perspective, the ancient storm was more than
00:13:57 --> 00:14:00 500 times more intense than the largest event
00:14:00 --> 00:14:02 of the modern satellite era, which occurred
00:14:02 --> 00:14:04 in 2005. That's simply staggering when you
00:14:04 --> 00:14:07 consider the potential impacts. For those
00:14:07 --> 00:14:09 wondering how scientists can possibly know
00:14:09 --> 00:14:11 about something that happened so long ago,
00:14:12 --> 00:14:14 the answer lies in radioactive carbon 14.
00:14:15 --> 00:14:17 When the sun unleashes a, uh, powerful
00:14:17 --> 00:14:20 coronal mass ejection, essentially billions
00:14:20 --> 00:14:22 of tons of plasma with embedded magnetic
00:14:22 --> 00:14:24 fields, the particles interact with our
00:14:24 --> 00:14:27 atmosphere to temporarily increase carbon 14
00:14:27 --> 00:14:30 production. This carbon 14 gets
00:14:30 --> 00:14:32 incorporated into living organisms like
00:14:32 --> 00:14:34 trees, creating a distinctive spike in tree
00:14:34 --> 00:14:37 rings from that period. Since carbon 14
00:14:37 --> 00:14:39 decays at a known rate, scientists can
00:14:39 --> 00:14:41 precisely date these events and even
00:14:41 --> 00:14:44 determine their relative strength. What makes
00:14:44 --> 00:14:46 the 12 before Common Era
00:14:46 --> 00:14:49 event particularly significant is that it's
00:14:49 --> 00:14:52 the only known extreme solar particle
00:14:52 --> 00:14:54 event outside the Holocene epoch, the
00:14:54 --> 00:14:57 relatively stable warm climate period of the
00:14:57 --> 00:15:00 past 12 years. This required the
00:15:00 --> 00:15:02 researchers to develop new modeling
00:15:02 --> 00:15:04 approaches that could analyze radiocarbon
00:15:04 --> 00:15:06 data under different climate conditions.
00:15:07 --> 00:15:10 The implications for our modern world are
00:15:10 --> 00:15:12 sobering. We've already seen how smaller
00:15:12 --> 00:15:15 solar storms can disrupt technology like
00:15:15 --> 00:15:18 the carrington event of 1859, which
00:15:18 --> 00:15:21 set telegraph systems ablaze worldwide, or
00:15:21 --> 00:15:24 the 1989 storm that caused multiple power
00:15:24 --> 00:15:26 grid failures. Now imagine something hundreds
00:15:26 --> 00:15:29 of times more powerful hitting our satellite
00:15:29 --> 00:15:31 dependent, electronically interconnected
00:15:31 --> 00:15:34 civilization. This discovery establishes a
00:15:34 --> 00:15:36 new worst case scenario for space weather
00:15:36 --> 00:15:39 preparedness. Understanding the potential
00:15:39 --> 00:15:41 scale of these events is crucial for
00:15:41 --> 00:15:43 evaluating risks to modern infrastructure,
00:15:44 --> 00:15:46 from power grids and communication systems to
00:15:46 --> 00:15:48 the satellites that enable everything from
00:15:48 --> 00:15:51 GPS navigation to weather forecasting.
00:15:52 --> 00:15:54 While such extreme events appear to be rare
00:15:54 --> 00:15:57 on human timescales, this research reminds
00:15:57 --> 00:15:58 us that the sun is capable of far more
00:15:58 --> 00:16:00 violent outbursts than anything we've
00:16:00 --> 00:16:03 witnessed in recent centuries. As we become
00:16:03 --> 00:16:05 increasingly dependent on vulnerable
00:16:05 --> 00:16:07 technologies, the importance of space weather
00:16:07 --> 00:16:10 monitoring and developing resilient systems
00:16:10 --> 00:16:13 becomes even more critical. This ancient
00:16:13 --> 00:16:15 solar tantrum, preserved in the rings of
00:16:15 --> 00:16:17 trees that stood witness to its fury, serves
00:16:17 --> 00:16:19 as both a scientific treasure and a warning
00:16:19 --> 00:16:20 from the distant past.
00:16:22 --> 00:16:24 And on that somber note, that wraps up
00:16:24 --> 00:16:26 another fascinating journey through our
00:16:26 --> 00:16:29 cosmos. From the earthbound challenges facing
00:16:29 --> 00:16:31 SpaceX's Starship and Australia's budding
00:16:31 --> 00:16:34 rocket program, to the mind bending
00:16:34 --> 00:16:36 discoveries of planets forming in our
00:16:36 --> 00:16:38 galaxy's heart and the possibility of
00:16:38 --> 00:16:41 evolving dark matter, we've covered quite the
00:16:41 --> 00:16:43 astronomical landscape today. And that
00:16:43 --> 00:16:46 ancient solar storm revelation really puts
00:16:46 --> 00:16:48 things in perspective, doesn't it? A cosmic
00:16:48 --> 00:16:51 event 500 times more powerful than anything
00:16:51 --> 00:16:54 we've experienced in modern times reminds us
00:16:54 --> 00:16:56 just how dynamic and sometimes temperamental
00:16:56 --> 00:16:59 our stellar companion can be. I'm
00:16:59 --> 00:17:01 Anna and I've been your guide through today's
00:17:01 --> 00:17:04 cosmic headlines on Astronomy Daily. If you
00:17:04 --> 00:17:06 enjoyed this episode and want to keep up with
00:17:06 --> 00:17:08 all the latest developments in space science
00:17:08 --> 00:17:11 and exploration, I invite you to visit our
00:17:11 --> 00:17:13 website@astronomydaily.IO
00:17:14 --> 00:17:16 where you can sign up for our free daily
00:17:16 --> 00:17:18 newsletter. There you'll also find our
00:17:18 --> 00:17:21 complete archive of past episodes
00:17:21 --> 00:17:24 ready for you to explore at your leisure.
00:17:24 --> 00:17:26 Don't forget to subscribe to Astronomy Daily
00:17:26 --> 00:17:29 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTubeMusic, or
00:17:29 --> 00:17:31 wherever you get your podcasts. To ensure you
00:17:31 --> 00:17:34 never miss an episode, Each day brings new
00:17:34 --> 00:17:36 discoveries and insights into our fascinating
00:17:36 --> 00:17:38 universe, and I'd love to share them with
00:17:38 --> 00:17:41 you. Until tomorrow, keep looking up the
00:17:41 --> 00:17:43 cosmos never ceases to amaze.