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Starstruck: NASA Research Shows How Sun’s Ancient History Shaped Earth
NASA-funded research explores how the Sun's movement through the galaxy and ancient solar activity influenced Earth's climate and early habitability.
Why it matters
Understanding these solar-planetary relationships helps scientists explain past climate shifts and potentially identify other habitable star systems in the universe.
The details
- Heliosphere shrinkage may have triggered ancient ice ages 2-14 million years ago.
- Young Sun superflares likely produced nitrous oxide to warm early Earth.
- Simulated proton bombardment of early atmosphere produced potent greenhouse gases.
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