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TED Radio Hour
Making sense of the sun
Nov 20, 2024
Join Nour Rawafi, a NASA astrophysicist and project scientist for the Parker Solar Probe, as she reveals the sun's untold mysteries. Fusion expert Tammy Ma discusses the thrilling advancements in nuclear fusion and its promise for sustainable energy. Rebecca Collyer advocates for renewable energy, showcasing Morocco's pioneering solar projects. Finally, science journalist David Baron shares his awe of solar events and their impact on our lives. Together, they illuminate the sun’s significance and our future with solar power.
49:40
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Quick takeaways
- Solar research, led by scientists like Noor Rawafi, aims to predict solar storms to mitigate their potential catastrophic impacts on Earth.
- Fusion energy represents a promising path towards sustainable energy, with significant advancements in achieving ignition for cleaner, abundant power generation.
Deep dives
The Carrington Event: A Historic Solar Storm
In September 1859, British astronomer Richard Carrington observed a bright light on the sun while sketching sunspots. This phenomenon, later known as the Carrington Event, was the first recorded solar flare, which caused widespread disruptions on Earth, including fires at telegraph stations and bright auroras seen across the globe. Carrington's hypothesis linking solar activity to these disruptions gained recognition years later, as the power of solar storms became clear. If a similar event occurred today, the economic impact could be devastating, resulting in prolonged power outages and losses in the trillions due to our reliance on technology like satellites.
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Discover
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