#super flare

Fresh research has revealed that powerful solar storms known as "superflares" are generated via the same process as common solar flares produced by our Sun. These superflares are capable of posing a significant threat to our advanced technology, and seriously harming Earth's protective ozone layer.

Here is the image of a solar prominence captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory in 2012 (Credit: NASA/SDO/AIA/Goddard Space Flight Center)

Earth's atmosphere is bombarded by charged particles from the Sun on a constant basis. Periodically, our star throws off what is known as a solar flare. Most of the time the only visible effect of these solar storms are stunning aurora that manifest around Earth's higher latitudes. However, one event in mankind's recorded history highlighted the significance of the threat posed by powerful solar activity.

On Sept. 2, 1859, Earth's magnetic field was struck with the first particles cast out by a titanic solar storm that had exploded from our Sun the previous day. The interference caused by the event threw the worldwide telegraph network into disarray, and based on ice core samples retrieved from Greenland, caused significant damage to Earth's protective ozone layer. The powerful storm is now referred to as the Carrington Event.

Should such an eruption occur today, its ability to interfere with our electronics and power supplies would cause a far greater amount of damage owing to our complete reliance on technology in almost every facet of our lives. 

Solar flares are releases of magnetic energy from the sun's atmosphere. Sometimes — but not always — they bombard Earth with high-energy plasma. Superflares are the same principle, just bigger.

Researchers started cataloguing them with the Kepler space telescope a few years ago. They're easy to spot, even on distant stars, since they crank out about 10,000 times more energy than normal flares.

And in a new study published in Nature, researchers say the sun is capable of emitting a superflare of its own — even if that's unlikely.

Most superflares come from stars that are more magnetically active than our home star, but about 10 percent of the superflare examples researchers analyzed came from stars with similar or even weaker fields.

The closest thing we've ever seen to a superflare from the sun is probably the Carrington Event.

In 1859, the sun launched a flare so energetic it damaged Earth's ozone layer and set telegraph offices on fire.

Experts say a flare that powerful today could do billions of dollars in long-term damage to satellite networks and electrical transformers. Those aren't the sort of things we keep plenty of spares for.

And Carrington was a relatively weak example compared to the energies involved in superflares.

The good news, according to the researchers, is our solar activity records show these events only come along every millennium or so. What's more, we would probably see unprecedented sunspot activity beforehand, so at least we'd know it's coming.

Superman #38 brings to an end the first run from new creative team of Geoff Johns and John Romita Jr.  And as we found out today, the now old creative team.

I was ready for this arc to be over.  It went on a little too long and I lost interest about halfway through.  The best part is that it felt like a Superman story from before the New 52.  I half expected to see red underwear again, and would…

Geoff Johns Bids Superman Farewell!

Geoff Johns will be leaving Superman after issue #39.

Geoff Johns made the announcement today on DCComics.com that he will be leaving Superman after issue #39! You can read his statement below!

Superman #38 came out yesterday and JR and I wanted to say thank you, because the issue sold out!

I have to admit, it’s a little bittersweet, because not only is it our final chapter of the Ulysses…

Batman: But u'll ded!

Superman: But must!

Super-Flare!

Save World!

Oh no ded.