Gamma-ray burst 'hit Earth in 8th Century

[dipsydoodle]

A gamma ray burst, the most powerful explosion known in the Universe, may have hit the Earth in the 8th Century.

In 2012 researchers found evidence that our planet had been struck by a blast of radiation during the Middle Ages, but there was debate over what kind of cosmic event could have caused this.

Now a study suggests it was the result of two black holes or neutron stars merging in our galaxy.

This collision would have hurled out vast amounts of energy.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21082617

A signature of cosmic-ray increase in ad 774–775 from tree rings in Japan http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v486/n7402/full/nature11123.html

[AverageJoe90]

1. Interesting. I guess gamma-ray bursts may not always be as deadly as once thought......

Well, under the right circumstances at least.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

2. it's all about the distance... n/t

[AverageJoe90]

4. Makes sense to me! n/t

[ProdigalJunkMail]

6. if one goes off close enough

we'll never know what hit us... literally.

have you ever watched those shows on the education channels where they talk about these things? that would be a bad day...

sP

[AverageJoe90]

7. I've seen a few, yeah.

Best way I can describe it at the moment, is that in that case, it'd be kinda like a Tsar Bomba blowing up over, say, Charlottesville, Va., or Versailles, Indiana; we'd be dead long before we could realize anything.

[Thor_MN]

10. That depends.

The people on the side of planet away from the burst may have some hours to know of their imminent doom.

[Fumesucker]

11. Inconstant Moon

http://downtownmagnets.edlioschool.com/ourpages/auto/2011/6/10/35789158/Inconstant%20Moon.pdf

[AverageJoe90]

12. That may be true, I suppose.

But, IMO, the people who got hit first might end being the lucky ones.....

[TlalocW]

3. That would explain the writings of

Friar Hulk from that time period. "Non-belief bad! Brother Hulk SMASH non-believers!" His caligraphy though was surprisingly beautiful.

TlalocW

[AverageJoe90]

5. Love the comics reference.

I guess his alter ago would be Brucius Bannerus? LOL.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

8. nicely done... n/t

[caseymoz]

9. Not to be confused with this Hulk:

[Fire Walk With Me]

13. :)