SCIENCE UPDATE

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NASA astrophysicists have discovered that Earth is located inside a bubble, which might somewhat protect us against radiation during the days following a solar storm. The bubble was first observed in 2014, and data from NASA’s two Van Allen probes show that the bubble is caused by human activity.

Spacecraft, satellites, and space probes orbiting Earth are protected against radiation by Earth’s magnetic field, but in case of particularly intense space weather, chip-killer electrons might gain so much energy that they penetrate the magnetic field, destroying the electronics of different devices. This happens after solar storms, when particles from eruptions on the Sun are hurled outward.

The shield is produced by radio waves from Earth: low-frequency radio signals, which are used for communication with submarines. But they also spread into space, and when they strike electrons, they affect their energy levels. This discovery could lead to "electromagnetic shields" for satellites.