Solar flare

Solar flares are bursts of energy given off by active stars periodically. Solar flares contain gamma radiation which can be used as a power source and they can devastate entire planets.

Historical significance

 * The greatest solar flare for a thousand years hit the Earth in 1930 and, attracted by dalekanium, struck the Empire State Building. (DW: Evolution of the Daleks)


 * Because of this being the greatest solar flare for a thousand years, it can be assumed that another solar flare hit the Earth in about 2930.


 * In 2059 a solar flare caused Bowie Base One on Mars to lose contact with Mision control on Earth for 10 hours. (DW: The Waters of Mars)


 * Solar flares 'roasted' Earth in the 29th century, forcing the evacuation of the planet. The people of the United Kingdom departed for a new home on the Starship UK. (DW: The Beast Below)


 * These do not appear to be the same solar flares that devastated Earth in The Ark in Space, as other stories show that Earth remained inhabited for centuries afterwards.


 * Sometime after the 31st century, Human scientists predicted that due to solar flare activity the Earth would be uninhabitable for 5000 years, and froze a group of carefully selected humans in an "Ark" in space to repopulate the Earth thereafter. The rest of the humans were evacuated to Thermic shelters but were apparently not expected to survive trough the entire period. (DW: The Ark in Space)


 * In 200,100, the Controller of the Game Station exploited a cycle of solar flares, which occurred every eleven years, to warn the Doctor and his allies about a mysterious enemy. During this time her masters, the Daleks, could not monitor her. (DW: Bad Wolf)


 * Circa 2,000,000 CE, the Time Lords transported the entire solar system using a magnetron, devastating Earth. Less-informed people attributed the devastation to solar flares. (DW: The Mysterious Planet)


 * Sometime prior to 10,000,000 CE, intense solar flares caused the Refusians of Refusis II to lose their physical forms. (DW: The Ark)