News Summary

• Baylor University space historian William B.
• Cade found an anonymous report in an old issue of Nature claiming a “very intense magnetic disturbance” was responsible for a train delay in England in 1841.
• If verified, it would be the earliest known instance of a solar storm impacting our technology.
• Working with fellow researchers, Cade now has a good reason to believe the Nature report is more than likely inaccurate – the train’s rail route didn’t exist until 1846.
• The skies over England were bright with auroras on October 18, 1848, as the Sun was entering a more active phase in its solar cycle.