Earth’s magnetosphere protects us from harmful radiation in space, but scientists have just found a crack in it. Are we doomed?
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Scientists have detected a crack in Earth’s magnetic shield
“Scientists have been investigating one of the most powerful geomagnetic storms in recent history, and they’ve discovered that our protective barrier isn’t as secure as we thought it was. Turns out, our magnetosphere has been cracked.”
Can Solar Flares Hurt Astronauts?
“In a nutshell, cosmic rays are bad. Especially in large, long-term doses. Now the astronauts aboard the ISS are still well within Earth’s protective magnetic field and so are shielded from much of the cosmic radiation that passes through our solar system daily. And, strangely enough, when solar flares occur – such as today’s – the amount of cosmic radiation the ISS encounters actually decreases.”
What Are Cosmic Rays?
“Cosmic rays are atom fragments that rain down on the Earth from outside of the solar system. They blaze at the speed of light and have been blamed for electronics problems in satellites and other machinery. First discovered in 1912, many things about cosmic rays remain a mystery more than a century later.”
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