Earth May Have Been Hit By a Gamma-Ray Burst In 775 AD 157
The Bad Astronomer writes "Studies of carbon-14 in Japanese trees and beryllium-10 in Antarctic ice indicate the Earth was hit by a big radiation blast in 775 AD. Although very rare, occurring only once every million years or so, the most likely culprit is a gamma-ray burst, a cosmic explosion accompanying the birth of a black hole. While a big solar flare is still in the running, a GRB from merging neutron stars produces the ratio of carbon and beryllium observed, and also can explain why no bright explosion was seen at the time, and no supernova remnant is seen now."
Re:Hmm (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Umm? How far away would it have been? (Score:1, Insightful)
Alex, calling people idiots doesn't really help your credibility. Try not being a name calling jackass. 3 digit ID doesn't give you the right to be a prick.
Re:Umm? How far away would it have been? (Score:3, Insightful)
"We cannot treat name-calling as reasoned debate."
That was a line in a speech delivered earlier today. I doubt he was referring to Slashdot specifically, but it's well taken here anyway.
Re:Umm? How far away would it have been? (Score:1, Insightful)
Alex, calling people idiots doesn't really help your credibility. Try not being a name calling jackass. 3 digit ID doesn't give you the right to be a prick.
Normally I would agree, but when the person you're responding to was being a douche to begin with, the response is warranted.
Re:Umm? How far away would it have been? (Score:2, Insightful)
Just the opposite.
Douchebaggery directed against objective truth deserves more harsh response than personal attacks.