The Sky Was Falling
From
This is London:
The solar flare last November was more than twice as big as the previous recorded explosion - and so violent that satellite detectors were unable to record its true scale because they were blinded by its radiation. [We LOVE records, even when they don't mean anything.]
It generated a massive stream of electrically charged particles and gas which rocketed across space at two million miles per hour, with the ability to cause unprecedented disruption to radio transmissions and navigation systems on earth. [The HORROR!!!]
Until now the size of the flare and the seismic waves which followed it was unknown, but scientists have discovered it dwarfed the previous biggest flare in August 1989, which plunged six million people in Quebec into an electrical blackout.
A team of scientists at New Zealand's University of Otago have said that it almost wreaked unimaginable destruction. [Is this is like ALMOST being pregnant?]
Their calculations showed the flare's X-ray radiation striking the atmosphere was equivalent to that of 5,000 suns, although they said none of it reached the earth's surface.
The flare was not on a direct course and harmful radiation was absorbed by the magnetosphere, a protective layer around the earth.
The flare came during a spell of extraordinary solar activity, when the sun produced a series of vast explosions.
As gas from the core of the sun was heated to millions of degrees, radiation and billions of tonnes of charged particles were pumped into space.
An accompanying aurora was seen over the skies of southern England. At the time one scientist described the power of the flare as being greater than "every nuclear warhead being detonated at once". [This is really SCARY!]
Matt's Chat
Is there anything we can actually DO about this? No? Did anything bad happen? No? Then why are we acting like this is some tragedy? The above message was brought to you by the Enviro-Wackos...
Mark's Remarks
All that light and we still can't find John Kerry's freakin backbone......or his ethics.
