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Our Lazy Solar Dynamo — Hello Dalton Minimum?

tetrahedrassface writes "Solar maximum is supposed to be occurring, and everything from satellite communications to your toaster or radio could be affected. The only problem is that this just isn't happening, and NASA continues to revise downward the original prediction. In fact, the new forecast for Solar Cycle 24 is a lot smaller, and is now pegged at almost 40% of what was previously predicted. Recently, two scientists at the National Solar Observatory have followed the lead of a prominent Russian scientist, who almost five years ago forecast a dearth of sunspots and the subsequent cooling of Earth for the next several cycles. With Britain currently experiencing the coldest winter in over 300 years, and no new sunspots for the last week, are we heading for a Dalton Minimum, or worse still, yet another Maunder?"

3 of 571 comments (clear)

  1. Re:So what? by Wonko+the+Sane · · Score: 5, Informative

    Can you please go into detail about the downside of an extended solar minimum?

    How much do you enjoy having enough food to eat?

  2. Re:In before the Global Warming crowd... by Hucko · · Score: 4, Informative

    It snowed in December in New South Wales, Australia in 2010. Southern hemisphere's summer.

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    Semi-automatic amateur armchair Australian philosopher; conjecture ready at any moment...
  3. Re:No problem! by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 4, Informative

    No, I'm alarmed by actual damage done by Bush but denied by you Republicans. You're alarmed by imaginary scandals cooked up by you Republicans.

    The difference is that I'm alarmed by facts, but you're alarmed by Republicans telling you non-Republicans are alarmists. You're buried in layers of nightmare.

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    make install -not war