New research indicates that the first recorded instance of space weather affecting human technology did not occur in 1841, as previously believed, but likely in 1848.
An old report, rediscovered in 2013, described a "very intense magnetic disturbance" on October 18, 1841. This disturbance was said to have interfered with the telegraph system of the South Devon Railway Company in England, causing the 10:05 p.m. express train from Exeter to Newton Abbot to be delayed by 16 minutes.
However, the new study highlights a critical flaw in this account: the railway line from Exeter to Newton Abbot was not opened until 1846. Therefore, the event could not have happened in 1841.
By examining contemporary records and geomagnetic observations, the researchers argue that the misreported event actually occurred several years later, on October 18, 1848.
This discovery means the Exeter event is no longer the first recorded space weather impact. That title now belongs to interference in the electric telegraph systems of the Midland Railway in England during an auroral display on March 19, 1847.
Nevertheless, the Exeter event still represents one of the earliest recorded examples of geomagnetic activity impacting technical infrastructure. This event predates the famous Carrington Event of 1859.
This research demonstrates the importance of carefully examining historical records to better understand the impacts of space weather on modern society and helps scientists better prepare for future geomagnetic storms.
Source: Science
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