How ancient trees are warning us about the next enormous solar storm

Phys.org Monday 17 August 2026, 18:00 UTC 1 min read

Key Points

Our sun is capable of storms far bigger than we've ever recorded. Studying the world's oldest trees suggests we could soon be due one of these gargantuan events.

Originally published by Phys.org Read original →

The landscape in the southernmost part of Chilean Patagonia, often called the End of the World, has a post-apocalyptic quality. At the final stop, so to speak, before Antarctica, the weather is harshly volatile, and in the wilderness surrounding the few small cities and towns, civilization dwindles almost to nothing. Most of the human presence in that region is transient—tourists who marvel at nature and soon depart.

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How ancient trees are warning us about the next enormous solar storm

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