Moscow is holding an international conference on space weather and its effects on the Earth and human health.
The topic is highly controversial, as up until now there are many uncertainties concerning the driving mechanisms of solar-terrestrial relations. However, when it comes to space flights and further space exploration, one cannot deny the immense influence that space radiation will have on future space travelers.
Synchronized with the Sun
Weather forecasting is not a very old phenomenon. It originated back in the years of World War II, and bloomed thanks to the help of weather satellites. Space weather observations are even younger, as solar winds, the main factor that affects the changes the Sun is undergoing at any given moment, was discovered only in the late 1950s. Even though some hints on how the Sun is linked to the Earth had existed before, experimental observations – and thus studies of solar weather – began no earlier than space exploration.
The conference titled “Space Weather Effects on Humans in Space and on Earth” is currently being held by Moscow’s Space Research Institute, with around 200 participants from 11 countries, represented by both physicists and physicians, studying the effects of solar activity upon the Earth.