Radiation from an exploding star may have had a profound effect on the evolution of life on Earth, a new study suggests.
About 2.5 million years ago, the viruses infecting fish in Africa”s Lake Tanganyika underwent a mysterious and rapid explosion in diversity. Yet the exact cause of this change has remained a mystery.
Now, a new study has found that the upswing in the types of viruses found in the lake happened at the same time that our planet was being pummeled by cosmic rays from an ancient supernova — suggesting a possible link between the two events. The researchers published their findings Jan. 17 in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
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