Scientists Warn of Possible Solar Mega-Storm
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In 1582 a massive solar storm hit Earth, appearing in the skies over Europe and Asia like a great fire and according to researchers, another such mega-storm could hit Earth again this century, this time with the potential to cause catastrophic damage and knock out power grids globally. Scientists at Cornell University have discovered 16th-century eyewitness reports of the 1582 storm (via
Daily Mail). The reports are comparable to those of more modern solar storms such as one in 1909 and one in 1989 which suggests these mega-storms happen roughly every century.
The 1582 records detail a three-day event that saw a fiery red show in the sky . While the first appearance of the event is described as fire rays [that] appeared over the castle [was] dreadful and fearful , subsequent days seemed to be less intense.
Eye-witness accounts of a great fire that appeared in 1582 have been uncovered. Experts say it was a once-in-a-century occurrence, which suggest our modern-day planet could be hit this century.
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IMAGE: Pantaphos, which is produced by the plant pathogen Pantoea ananatis, is responsible for causing onion center rot. view more
Credit: Alex Polidore
Since 1983, the bacteria Pantoea ananatis has been known to infect several important crops including onions, rice, and corn. It was unclear, however, what molecules were involved. A new study, published in
mBio, has identified one of the culprits: pantaphos. Intriguingly, the researchers have discovered that pantaphos can also act as an herbicide and it is toxic to glioblastoma cells, making it an exciting candidate for agricultural and biomedical applications. Herbicide resistant weeds are an issue in agriculture, said William Metcalf (MMG leader), a professor of microbiology. Unfortunately, there hasn t been a new class of herbicide for over 30 years. If we can understand how pantaphos causes onion rot, we can solve a big problem.