Facebook hoax claims cosmic rays are coming close to Earth. Fact Check
Bizarre panicked rumours claim that “cosmic rays” are coming close to planet Earth and as a result we should power down our cellular phones and tablets.
An example of the warning can be seen below.
*: URGENT.*
Tonight at 12: 30 to 03: 30 make sure to turn off the phone, cellular, tablet, etc … and put away from your body.
Singapore television announced the news. Please tell your family and friends. Tonight, 12:30 to 3:30 for our planet will be very high radiation. Cosmic rays will pass close to Earth. So please turn off your cell phone. Do not leave your device close to your body, it can cause you terrible damage. Check Google and NASA BBC News. Send this message to all the people who matter to you. FORWARDED AS RECEIVED
This nonsensical rumour has been circulated the Internet for a number of years in identical fashion, with the earliest instance (that we cound find) being late 2013, though the exact source of the alarmist rumour is simply unknown.
The warning is on shaky ground on a number of levels. For one, the times included in the warning lack any indication of a timezone, rendering the warning useless at best, even if it were describing a real threat.
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Secondly, the warning ambiguously refers to “cosmic rays”, a term perhaps more commonly used on science fiction TV shows. While those in the fields of astronomy or astrophysics may occasionally refer to “cosmic rays” (to mean high energy particles that travel through space at nearly the speed of light) the warning isn’t clear as to how these cosmic rays are formed, where they are supposed to be coming from, and why such rays would require a person to turn off their cellphone or any other electrical device.
Finally, despite the assertion in the warning, this wasn’t on “Singapore News”. What’s more, following the advice in the message to check Google, NASA or BBC News will result in one discovering that there are no such warnings related to this message, and it is indeed a hoax that has been circulated the Internet for a number of years. There have been no warnings from any space entity about phantom cosmic rays coming for your cellphone.
It’s a hoax. Please don’t share it.
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