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

Pics

[necro81]

Uggghhh, the linked article only has some lame text, written in some script I can't decypher, in a language I cannot understand. Scholarship is too hard!

Pics or it didn't happen.

[tongue in cheek]

Religious misinterpret phenomenon

[i kan reed]

Centuries later, scientists figure out what actually happened using careful observation. Number of times this has happened: too many to count.

Re:Religious misinterpret phenomenon

[SigmundFloyd]

The chroniclers were all monks. Your underwear is showing.

That's because the church held a monopoly on education. If that weren't the case, the chroniclers wouldn't have been monks and the chronicles would have been more accurate. Your cowardice is showing.

Holy shit you're slow

[drinkypoo]

This was news like a month ago. If it weren't a horrible nightmare to find something on your failbook wall I could find the discussion we had about it there then.