For 155 years, scientists believed a solar storm delayed a train in Exeter, England, in 1841, but the railway did not exist until 1846; researchers now say the storm and the 16-minute delay really happened in 1848
- For more than 150 years, a reported 16-minute train delay in Exeter, England, was cited as a possible early example of a solar storm disrupting human technology.
- But a railway timetable revealed a problem with the story: the railway line in question did not exist in 1841.
- According to a report published by ScienceDaily on October 21, 2026, researchers have now traced the incident to October 18, 1848, using historical railway records, newspaper accounts and measurements of Earth’s magnetic field.
Unverified
- For more than 150 years, a reported 16-minute train delay in Exeter, England, was cited as a possible early example of a solar storm disrupting human technology.
- But a railway timetable revealed a problem with the story: the railway line in question did not exist in 1841.
- According to a report published by ScienceDaily on October 21, 2026, researchers have now traced the incident to October 18, 1848, using historical railway records, newspaper accounts and measurements of Earth’s magnetic field.
Sources: Times of India