Overview

• A new study analyzed data from over 56,000 sun-like stars, revealing that superflares—massive solar explosions—occur approximately once per century on such stars.
• Superflares release up to 10,000 times the energy of typical solar flares, with potential to disrupt satellites, power grids, and communication systems on Earth.
• The research used NASA's Kepler telescope data to simulate 220,000 years of stellar activity, identifying nearly 3,000 superflares on sun-like stars.
• The Sun’s last major recorded solar storm, the 1859 Carrington Event, was far less powerful than a superflare but still caused widespread telegraph failures and fires.
• Scientists caution that while the Sun appears less active than many similar stars, its ability to produce superflares remains uncertain and warrants further investigation.