A misleading fear mongering message regarding the impact of cosmic rays!

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While navigatng through social media circles, it's commonplace to encounter ideas, which lack scientific backgrounds. Below is our investigation into the validity of a one such viral claim which makes rounds every once in awhile.

Social Media Posts :

This particular post was referenced on Facebook in the following manner.

“PSA‼Tonight between 12:30 a.m. and 3:30 a.m., make sure to turn off your cell phone, laptop, etc. and keep it away from your body. TV Singapore broke the news. Please inform your family and friends. Tonight, between 12:30 a..m. and 3:30 a.m., our earth will face the highest radiation. Cosmic light rays will pass near the earth. So turn off your phone etc. and keep it away from your body, because it will cause us harmful effects of radiation. You can see it on google and NASA and BBC news. Share this message with other people who are important to your family, friends, friends and even your spouse. You can save many lives by doing this. Hope useful”

Facebook | Archived Link

This post was shared on Threads as well.

https://www.threads.net/@allycat1987/post/C5e81K8tlt6

Fact - Check :

In a report from 2014, it was highlighted that exchanges of such messages in various short forms have been ongoing since as far back as 2008. The likely aim behind these fabricated and unfounded posts is to incite undue panic.

Furthermore, the mentioned message was not located within the BBC media network. In a report from 2010, the BBC website emphasized how individuals in Africa's most populous nation were being deceived by false rumors, often employing the guise of "cosmic rays".

No press releases from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States of America contained such information, and numerous crucial scientific details pertaining to this investigation were uncovered.

Established in 1959, the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center specializes in the study of Earth, the Sun, our Solar System, and the Universe. We visited their website and conducted research on cosmic rays.

Cosmic rays consist of high-energy atomic and subatomic particles, such as protons and electrons, traveling through the Milky Way at the speed of light before reaching our solar system.

The article also elaborated that phenomena like supernova explosions, gas expansion, and magnetic field fluctuations can persist for thousands of years, providing environments where cosmic rays undergo acceleration.

What are Cosmic Rays

Another report on cosmic rays can read here and here.

Additionally, NASA had published a webpage featuring updated images every 15 seconds, showcasing the observation of cosmic rays in Minnesota, USA.

Entities such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) consistently issue warnings regarding solar and cosmic rays. This caution is not due to the direct risk posed to individuals, but rather the potential threat they pose to electrical systems and other devices, as stated by NASA.

Those rays do not pose a direct health risk to life on Earth, and the risk is not exacerbated by having a mobile phone nearby. A possible source of intense cosmic radiation is a stream of particles ejected directly from a near-Earth supernova explosion. Such an event provides decades of warning.

Here is another report on the possible effects of cosmic rays.

The NASA document included a section addressing the extent of safety from space radiation. It clarified that while one may assert safety from radiation exposure, complete safety cannot be guaranteed. The document further elucidated that life on Earth is shielded from the full impact of solar and cosmic radiation by the magnetic fields surrounding the planet and its atmosphere.

Nevertheless, as evidenced by numerous articles, ongoing research continues to explore the potential effects of cosmic rays on astronauts during space travel.

Do Solar Eclipses Increase Cosmic Radiation Levels?

Also since the recent posts are getting shared in parallel to the April 8th total solar eclipse, we looked at possible studies related to the variations in cosmic rays related to previous eclipses as well. This study from India states that “No substantial variation in the radiations was noticed by the detector employed for recording data for 20 critical minutes during the peak of the eclipse.”

Even during one of the studies conducted during last total eclipse in the US in 2017, no significant rate of change in the cosmic rays were noticed.

Scientists suggest that during the total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, the moon will traverse at a velocity exceeding 2,000 miles per hour. Consequently, numerous locations within the eclipse path are anticipated to experience total darkness for approximately four minutes. Moreover, scientists express optimism about the opportunity to conduct rare scientific experiments during this period.

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Conclusion :

Based on our investigation, it's evident that the social media message advising individuals to switch off mobile phones, tablets, and other electronic devices at night due to high irradiation from cosmic rays is unfounded. This message is founded on numerous inaccuracies lacking scientific support.