–The Acorn–
-Woodstock, Vermont-
-Wednesday, May 1, 1872-
-Page 2-
ALARMING!
From a distinguished scientific gentleman connected with one of our most prominent literary institutions, we have the following very remarkable statement.
During the last two storms on the chromosphere of the sun, it was estimated that 1956 trillions of cubic feet of hydrogen gas were thrown out into space and the gas disseminated in the inter-planetary ether.
The immense amount of heat which was thus carried away or radiated, explains our unusually cold winter. The second storm appeared in February. As that was. if possible, more severe than the first, and as several more are expected soon, it is confidently predicted among scientific circles that we shall have no warm season this year, and unless the sun is providentially supplied with more fuel before autumn, the earth will return to its condition during the glacial period. It is frightful to contemplate and the facts have been thus far studiously concealed, but they will out soon; and the astronomical authorities from which they have been received not of such high order as to leave not a shadow of doubt about the terrible condition to which our planet is drifting.
TLDR:
A distinguished scientific gentleman in 1872 claimed that the earth was colder because the sun had some storms on it that threw a bunch of hydrogen into space, and with it heat (the heat didn’t go to earth i guess, just away from the sun). There was a second storm that was even worse, and several more expected. If the sun doesn’t get more fuel, an ice age will start.
The Jargon
Chromosphere of the sun – It’s the middle layer of the sun, between the photosphere and corona. It’s where solar flares happen.
The inter-planetary ether – Space. I’m pretty sure it’s just space.
Context
We know now that solar storms don’t affect our weather/climate, at least not isolated events, so I’m glad these scientists were wrong and naive. This storm in 1872 was a big one and rivaled the Carrington Event, which is considered the largest solar storm in recorded history. The 1872 event, was recorded mostly in East Asia, and there’s this great scientific journal about it (cited) with a nice picture (right) and some diagrams.
There’s a place in Lawrence, Kansas that kept some weather records in 1872 and made a very nice summary for us all to read. The whole year on average was 1.23 degrees lower than the 4 years preceding that. The summer and autumn, which was the period this gentleman from the news article was worried about, were less than half a degree cooler. It’s a far cry from an ice age, and maybe the reason this gentleman stayed anonymous is so people couldn’t make fun of him when he was so wrong. Maybe there were places that were cooler that year, but if Kansas wasn’t, I’d guess that the earth was not returning to a glacial period.
Conclusion
Maybe scientists have been crying wolf for too long. Maybe that’s why we never believed them on global warming. I mean, as recently as the 70s, some scientists were claiming that the earth was cooling. Turns out that was just a blip, and they had nothing to worry about. The problem with science is that it gets more accurate over time, so as much as I’d love to believe this guy from 1872, I can’t, because my scientists say otherwise, and also the world is on fire (at the time of writing).
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