Nairaland Forum

There have been rumors circulating
that cosmic rays from Mars are entering
Earth tonight so we need to switch off
our phones, or put them away from us.
Hoax Alert: Cosmic Rays from
Mars Entering Earth
Tonight 12:30 am to 3:30 am cosmo
rays entering earth from mars. So switch
off your mobile at night. Don’t keep your
cell with you & put it away while you are
sleeping because they are too much
dangerous rays: NASA informs BBC NEWS.
Pls spread this news.
The message above is clearly nothing
more than just another HOAX. I don’t
know why people are circulating panic
messages such as this to disturb the
lives of other people. From what I have
noticed, this message has been
circulating since 2008 and it suddenly
reappeared today, 6 April 2012. I also
received text messages containing this
false information and saw similar
Facebook posts.
I did my own research and I have found
no credible reports that confirm the
claims in the warning message. There
are no references to such a threat listed
on credible scientific websites. I also
checked the NASA and BBC news today
to see if they have posted something like
this. Fortunately, both have never said
such a thing and will never
probably produce a similar baseless
statement.
Despite the claim in the message, there
are several reasons to say that this
information is untrue.
First, Mars could not emit harmful
radiation because it is not a star. Cosmic
rays are emitted by stars. i.e bodies that
are undergoing nuclear reactions that is
fusion (as occurs in our sun) or fission
(as occurs in nuclear reactors). Mars is
neither. It is a planet that just reflects
sunlight. It cannot emit cosmic radiation.
Next, with regards to these rays the
earth’s atmosphere is capable of taking
care of them so no need to worry.
The magnetosphere absorbs and
protects us from the sun’s
harmful radiation. Whatever remains is
too feeble to affect any thing as far as
earth.
The Earth’s magnetosphere prevents
most of the particles from the Sun,
carried in the solar wind, from hitting
the Earth. Image
credit:
milesmathis.com
Another thing is that we are actually hit
by cosmic rays every day — all day (and
night too). If it was going to hurt your
cell, then it would have already fried it by
now.
Sometimes magnetic storms on the sun
will fry the electronics of satellites in
orbit, and may also blow out the power
grid in high latitudes near the Earth’s
magnetic poles, but other than static, I
don’t see what it might do to your cell
phones.
So, to anyone who will receive this kind
of message, please think it over and help
educate others.

Spreading dubious and unsubstantiated
warnings such as this is
counterproductive and is unlikely to help
anyone.
Learn more about cosmic rays from this
NASA website.

Abatvic: There have been rumors circulating
that cosmic rays from Mars are entering
Earth tonight so we need to switch off
our phones, or put them away from us.
Hoax Alert: Cosmic Rays from
Mars Entering Earth
Tonight 12:30 am to 3:30 am cosmo
rays entering earth from mars. So switch
off your mobile at night. Don’t keep your
cell with you & put it away while you are
sleeping because they are too much
dangerous rays: NASA informs BBC NEWS.
Pls spread this news.
The message above is clearly nothing
more than just another HOAX. I don’t
know why people are circulating panic
messages such as this to disturb the
lives of other people. From what I have
noticed, this message has been
circulating since 2008 and it suddenly
reappeared today, 6 April 2012. I also
received text messages containing this
false information and saw similar
Facebook posts.
I did my own research and I have found
no credible reports that confirm the
claims in the warning message. There
are no references to such a threat listed
on credible scientific websites. I also
checked the NASA and BBC news today
to see if they have posted something like
this. Fortunately, both have never said
such a thing and will never
probably produce a similar baseless
statement.
Despite the claim in the message, there
are several reasons to say that this
information is untrue.
First, Mars could not emit harmful
radiation because it is not a star. Cosmic
rays are emitted by stars. i.e bodies that
are undergoing nuclear reactions that is
fusion (as occurs in our sun) or fission
(as occurs in nuclear reactors). Mars is
neither. It is a planet that just reflects
sunlight. It cannot emit cosmic radiation.
Next, with regards to these rays the
earth’s atmosphere is capable of taking
care of them so no need to worry.
The magnetosphere absorbs and
protects us from the sun’s
harmful radiation. Whatever remains is
too feeble to affect any thing as far as
earth.
The Earth’s magnetosphere prevents
most of the particles from the Sun,
carried in the solar wind, from hitting
the Earth. Image
credit:
milesmathis.com
Another thing is that we are actually hit
by cosmic rays every day — all day (and
night too). If it was going to hurt your
cell, then it would have already fried it by
now.
Sometimes magnetic storms on the sun
will fry the electronics of satellites in
orbit, and may also blow out the power
grid in high latitudes near the Earth’s
magnetic poles, but other than static, I
don’t see what it might do to your cell
phones.
So, to anyone who will receive this kind
of message, please think it over and help
educate others.

Spreading dubious and unsubstantiated
warnings such as this is
counterproductive and is unlikely to help
anyone.
Learn more about cosmic rays from this
NASA website.

. My dear u deserve applause for that cos some are naturally silly. Tanx for d info

Nigerians! Even if its a rumour does it have to be debunked like that? I mean this is scientific!science is dynamic? So many things we were told its impossible are seen today everywhere! Some pple talking bout d natural shield the earth has..wot about d pollution that has depleted those layers? Didn't that happened to ozone layer?or was dere anything like ozone layer depletion hundred years ago? Xpect anythn frm science.wot its seen as a rumour today may actually happen few years to now.its science! The discovery of God's particle(boson -higgs) particle suffered more rejection.those wwho debunked stuffs like this to disredit without tuts are xamples of pple u tell its not safe to receive a call when they have just one bar of battry on their fones and they will just try to debunk it using all these old scienitic books they were privilegd to read!

Dis nt debunkin guy...its a mata of knwin wats is right.....more over cosmic ray are seen 1ce in a century .....so y d rumour every,......
Moreover everyday in nigeria u ar told dnt wear red.....,dnt pick....a call....dnt eat dis.....u knw wat our minds ar really confusin.

Cosmic rays ar knwn 2ru science...and we all hv 2 knw d right tin .....so stop sayin thrash!

Thrash?? U seems to be using a harsh word dere.u av spoken well.