A colossal solar storm struck Earth approximately 14,300 years ago, unleashing a cosmic barrage so powerful it left permanent imprints in tree rings and ice cores. This event, which occurred in 12,350 BC, has now been confirmed as the strongest solar particle storm ever recorded, surpassing even the most intense space weather episodes of the modern satellite era.
Thanks to a new climate-chemistry model, SOCOL:14C-Ex, scientists have been able to reconstruct and understand this ancient cosmic incident, which occurred at the end of the last Ice Age—well before the Holocene epoch began. This model, developed by researchers at the University of Oulu in Finland, marks a major advancement in the way we analyse radiocarbon data and study extreme space weather events under glacial conditions.
Solar flare observed by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory on 10 May 2024. (NASA/SDO)
A Solar Superstorm Hidden in Ancient Trees
The telltale signs of this solar storm weren’t visible in the sky—but embedded deep within nature. Researchers examined partially fossilised trees and ancient ice cores, revealing a sudden and extreme spike in carbon-14, a radioactive isotope created when high-energy cosmic particles slam into Earth’s atmosphere.
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Radiocarbon dating has long been a tool for tracking the past, but such abrupt surges—known as Miyake events, after the Japanese scientist who first identified them—offer unique insights into solar activity. These events not only help us understand the Sun’s volatility but also serve as timestamps that can date ancient archaeological sites with unprecedented precision.
Dr. Kseniia Golubenko, lead space physicist on the study, explained,
“Compared to the largest event of the modern satellite era – the 2005 particle storm – the ancient 12,350 BC event was over 500 times more intense, according to our estimates.”
More Powerful Than Anything in Recorded History
The massive influx of solar particles was a geomagnetic storm unlike anything humans have experienced. Unlike typical solar flares or the visible aurorae they sometimes produce, solar particle storms fire charged particles directly at Earth, which can disrupt the planet’s magnetic field, atmosphere, and, in today’s world, electronic systems.
While major storms like the Carrington Event of 1859 knocked out telegraphs and sparked fires, and the 1989 Quebec blackout caused power grid failures, they pale in comparison to what the Earth faced over 14 millennia ago.
The new findings place this event 18% stronger than the AD 774 solar storm, previously the largest recorded through tree-ring evidence. The fact that it occurred outside the relatively stable Holocene epoch is significant, pushing the boundaries of what we know about the Sun’s historical behaviour.
“This event establishes a new worst-case scenario,” said Golubenko.
“Understanding its scale is critical for evaluating the risks posed by future solar storms to modern infrastructure like satellites, power grids, and communication systems.”
A New Scientific Frontier: SOCOL:14C-Ex Model
The ability to confirm the storm’s magnitude came from the team’s use of the SOCOL:14C-Ex model, a sophisticated chemistry–climate tool specifically designed to reconstruct radiocarbon variations during different climatic and geomagnetic conditions. This model bridges a crucial gap: while past analyses were limited to the Holocene era, this tool expands radiocarbon science into the Late Glacial Period.
The model was first tested on known events, including the 774 CE solar storm, and once verified, was applied to radiocarbon data from 12,350 BC. Samples from ancient tree rings found in the French Alps, which dated back 14,300 years, played a crucial role in confirming the storm’s timing and scale.
Professor Ilya Usoskin, co-developer of the model, emphasised its broader implications:
“Miyake events allow us to pin down exact calendar years in floating archaeological chronologies. This significantly enhances our understanding of both space climate and Earth’s past.”
What Does This Mean for Us Today?
While a solar particle storm of this magnitude is extremely rare, it serves as a sobering reminder of the Sun’s power—and our modern vulnerability. Today’s interconnected world depends on satellites, global communications networks, aviation, and national power grids, all of which would be at severe risk in the event of a similar storm.
The findings underline the need to invest in space weather monitoring and infrastructure resilience. A solar event of this scale today could knock out GPS, disrupt global power supply, and cripple data systems for days, weeks, or longer.
Cosmic Clues From the Past
In addition to the 12,350 BC event, scientists have identified other significant solar particle storms dating back to 994 AD, 663 BC, 5259 BC, and 7176 BC. These spikes are all marked by rapid surges in carbon-14 found in tree rings and serve as historical benchmarks in our solar system’s turbulent story.
But this newly confirmed Ice Age event resets the bar for cosmic ferocity. It’s not just another data point—it’s a redefinition of solar storm potential.
A Glimpse Into a Solar Past — and Future
The international research team, led by Professor Edouard Bard from CEREGE, France, along with colleagues from Switzerland and Finland, has effectively rewritten the book on space weather extremes. Their study, published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters on 28 April 2025, opens a new chapter in our understanding of the Sun’s influence on Earth’s environment.
With tools like SOCOL:14C-Ex and the increasing precision of tree-ring and ice core analysis, we’re now better equipped to uncover and understand ancient cosmic events—and more importantly, prepare for what might come next.
