Planet Earth is being bombarded by cosmic rays which are among the most powerful in recorded history.
The sun is currently going through a period in its 11-year cycle called the solar minimum, which means sunspot activity has slowed and its face has gone blank.
Normally, the sun protects our solar system from cosmic rays – which are deadly beams of particles that shoot through space.
But when the sun reaches its solar minimum, its magnetic field weakens and allows more rays to pour into our star system.
This doesn’t tend to pose a threat to anyone here on Earth, but it’s risky for astronauts and satellites outside our atmosphere.
Scientists use balloons to measure the strength of cosmic rays as they smash into Earth’s atmosphere.
The ‘Space Age record’ for cosmic rays was set in 2009/ 2010 during the last solar minimum, but experts believe we could be about to see even more powerful beams hit our planet.
‘A new record could be just weeks or months away,’ wrote Dr. Tony Phillips.
‘Who cares? Anyone who steps on an airplane.
‘Cosmic rays penetrate commercial jets, delivering whole-body dosages equal to one or more dental X-rays even on regular flights across the USA. Cosmic rays pose an even greater hazard to astronauts, of course.
‘Cosmic rays can also alter the electro-chemistry of Earth’s upper atmosphere and are thought to play some role in sparking lightning.’
This solar slowdown often causes temporary cooling in Earth’s atmosphere
Climate change deniers often hail this cooling as evidence that the heating of our world is about to go into reverse.
Sadly, this is very unlikely to be true because the sun follows an 11-year cycle, meaning it will simply spring back to life in the coming years.
However, once activity ramps up, the sun will be rocked by an increased number of gigantic ‘monster’ explosions, Nasa warned earlier this year.
Eruptions from the face of our star are called ‘prominences’ and cause vast amounts of superhot gas to shoot into space, often forming beautiful loops on the solar surface.
During the solar minimum, the number of flares and sunspots is dramatically reduced.
When the sun leaps back from its minimum after roughly 11 years, we’re likely to see more and more ferocious explosions on the sun.
Read more at Metro
The Earth is certianly not fragile with all that stuff from Outer Space hitting it like the Meteor Crater in Arizona is proof the Earth is Not Fragile
Climate change denier??? I have never met anyone who denies’s the climate of the world is changing. That is what it does, just like the tide rises and falls. DUH. The disagreement is that humans cause the climate to change and that charging a tax can control it. Amazing Liberal arrogance.