History: August 16 (#2)

History: August 16 (#2)
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
August 16, 1989 A solar particle event affects computers at the Toronto Stock Exchange, forcing a halt to trading.

Commentary

Commentary

On August 16, in the year 1989: A solar particle event affects computers at the Toronto Stock Exchange, forcing a halt to trading. A solar particle event (SPE), also known as a solar energetic particle event or solar rad iation storm, is a solar phenomenon that occurs when particles emitted by the Sun, mostly protons, become accelerated either in the Sun's atmosphere during a solar flare or in interplanetary space by a coronal mass ejection shock. Why August 16, 1989 matters: A solar particle event affects computers at the Toronto Stock Exchange, forcing a halt to trading. What began on this day left a lasting mark on history. The effects were felt immediately and continued to shape events, ideas, and lives long afterwards. Historical context: August 16, 1989 The 20th century brought rapid advances in health, communication, science, and technology that reshaped everyday human experience. The event on this day: A solar particle event affects computers at the Toronto Stock Exchange, forcing a halt to trading. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_particle_event (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)