▁life ▁on ▁Earth , ▁but ▁had ▁it ▁happened ▁in ▁modern ▁times , ▁it ▁may ▁have ▁produced ▁cat ast roph ic ▁damage ▁to ▁modern ▁technology , ▁particularly ▁to ▁communication ▁and ▁space - bor ne ▁navigation ▁systems . ▁In ▁addition , ▁a ▁solar ▁f lare ▁capable ▁of ▁producing ▁the ▁observed ▁is ot op ic ▁effect ▁would ▁pose ▁considerable ▁risk ▁to ▁astr onaut s . ▁ ▁As ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁there ▁is ▁" l ittle ▁understanding " ▁of ▁ ▁past ▁variations ▁because ▁annual - resol ution ▁measurements ▁are ▁only ▁available ▁for ▁a ▁few ▁periods ▁( e . g ., ▁the ▁AD ▁ 7 7 4 – 7 7 5 ). ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁another ▁" extra ordin arily ▁large " ▁ ▁increase ▁( 2 0 ‰ ) ▁has ▁been ▁associated ▁with ▁a ▁ 5 4 8 0 ▁BC ▁event , ▁but ▁it ▁is ▁not ▁associated ▁with ▁a ▁solar ▁event ▁because ▁of ▁its ▁long ▁duration , ▁but ▁rather ▁to ▁an ▁unus ually ▁fast ▁grand ▁minimum ▁of ▁solar ▁activity . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁evidence ▁of ▁another ▁" en orm ous ▁solar ▁storm " ▁~ 6 6 0 ▁BC ▁was ▁published , ▁compar able ▁with ▁the ▁AD ▁ 7 7 4 – 7 7 5 ▁and ▁ 9 9 3 ▁events ▁and ▁likely ▁relevant ▁with ▁the ▁aur oral ▁records ▁in ▁Ass y rian ▁records . ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁conclus ions ▁of ▁the ▁work ▁is ▁that ▁an ▁exclusive ▁reli ance ▁on ▁ ▁records ▁may ▁lead ▁to ▁under