Has a Biochem Undergrad Solved a Cosmic Radiation Mystery?

scibri writes "A few weeks ago, reports of a mysterious spike in carbon-14 levels in Japanese tree rings corresponding to the year 775 intrigued astronomers. Such a spike could only have been caused by a massive supernova or solar flare, but there was no evidence of either of these at that time. Until Jonathon Allen, a biochem undergrad at UC Santa Cruz, Googled it. He found a reference in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle to a 'red crucifix' appearing in the sky in 774, and speculates that it could have been a supernova hidden behind a cloud of dust, which could mask the remnants of the exploded star from astronomers today."

Comments

Re:Religious misinterpret phenomenon

[SigmundFloyd]

And yet, without the religious text, there wouldn't even be a written record of what happened at all.

More likely, the event would have been recorded more objectively without all the religious bullsh^Wovertones.