Scivillage.com Casual Discussion Science Forum

http://earthsky.org/space/could-our-sun-superflare

EXCERPT: Our sun demonstrates the potential to superflare, says new research. If it did, a superflare could jeapordize Earth’s communications and energy systems. Astronomers observe superflares on other stars. They are are enormous flares, thousands of times more powerful than ever recorded on our sun. A typical flare from our sun might have an energy equivalent to a 100 million megaton bombs. A superflare on the sun could release energy equivalent to a 100 billion megaton bombs and could cause large-scale power blackouts here on Earth. Now researchers have confirmed that the sun could produce such a powerful flare....

They always say it will just cause blackouts. How do they know it won't bake our planet in a wave of hot solar gases?

They probably figure it out from astronomical observations, comparing our solar flares here to some real doosies they observe elsewhere.

I wish it would more than superflare.  I wish it would go supernova and vaporize the earth.  DNA-driven life is bad.  I'd refer to it as evil with it's kill or die imperative, but that would imply intent by some actor, and there's no evidence for any supernatural beings.  If you'd not join me in my wish, don't worry because the sun is in a star class that is considered to be unable to go supernova.

Expect a future theory about one of the past extinction periods being blamed on a superflare event. Limited science funding but ever-growing competition for it out there...