Small and Fierce

Black, female, impaired, Mom. Anti Tory. Avid cook, indoor/outdoor gardener. Saturn & Pleiades are my happy place. #LookUp

[Small and Fierce @Li_Li78]

@The_Acumen Good Luck by Basement Jaxx

[Small and Fierce @Li_Li78]

@MDietchka @AuthorGFAllen Didn’t make it past the first 2 chapters and gave up. Horrendous writing and utterly cringeworthy

[Small and Fierce @Li_Li78]

@CeliaHibbert @reformparty_uk It’s all well and good posting an old picture of him at the park but that tells us nothing about his intentions for the area. As for the “Fast forward to ‘multicultural’ Britain’ comment… are you for real?! Like, seriously?! 🤣

[Small and Fierce @Li_Li78]

@CeliaHibbert @reformparty_uk Can you please point residents to cllr Dave Evans contact details and priorities?

[Small and Fierce @Li_Li78]

@grok @weraveyou Wrong. It’s La Negra by Jesus Fernandez & Mark Di Meo

[Vincent Ledvina @Vincent_Ledvina]

There is a disturbing trend right now that needs to be addressed and actively nipped in the bud...

fearmongering about space weather, specifically this ongoing, large, and active sunspot cluster AR 4366. I am making this post because I have been sent countless messages from genuinely worried people about what is happening on the Sun right now. As I have said before, there is no need to worry and a large, active sunspot is perfectly normal.

I have attached some posts here as examples, all from Facebook but similar rhetoric has been bubbling around on other platforms as well.

Let me address two issues shown in these posts:

1. Comparing this sunspot group next to the Carrington sunspot drawing. I see no scientific reason to do this, and many illustrations will decrease the size of the Carrington spot to make it look like AR 4366 is larger. It is not.

Large sunspots frequently pop up during the solar cycle. Sometimes, they do nothing. It is true that larger spots typically have more opportunity to produce solar flares and CMEs, but this is not a guarantee of anything. Remember the giant sunspot late last year that just cruised on by and did literally nothing the whole time? These accounts aren't going to mention that, I bet!

Also, we all know about the Carrington event and the famous sunspot drawing. Making the comparison between AR 4366 and the Carrington group implies we are in a similar situation where a Carrington-class CME could be released at any point. It's not that simple, and this comparison only draws attention from those who don't know the nuance of sunspots, flares, CMEs, what all of it means for Earth, etc.

2. Implying this active region is "dangerous." Putting aside those who can feel space weather (and I am not going to discount these experiences, but I do not know enough about the field to say anything), a sunspot group is not going to do physical harm to people or society on its own. Sure, there is a LOW (maybe 1%?) probability of a Carrington-class CME erupting from this region right at Earth, but the behavior of the active region is not suggesting that will happen.

Social media platforms have made it so that views, likes, and engagement are rewarded MONETARILY. Did you know that conspiracy YouTubers and Facebook posters are likely only doing what they do because it makes them money? They are financially incentivized to spread misinformation and prey upon the public who are ignorant of space weather science. Most of these creators really don't know about the science or (even worse) they know enough to figure out what will make people click and engage with their content. Fear is a tool they use to make money and keep people following for the next update.

It is totally fine to not know what is going on. For example, if I saw a post about Pokemon Card Trading on my timeline, I wouldn't know whether it were true or not. Does that make me dumb or stupid? Absolutely not. Pokemon Card Trading is just not my field. I will never make fun of anyone who is a beginner or doesn't know muhc about the aurora, space weather, etc. We all start somewhere, and these concepts aren't necessary things to know to survive in the real world.

My advice is that if you see these posts, call out the inaccurate information in the comments (if you feel like it!) and respond to commentors that have obviously been fooled and manipulated into thinking what is happening right now is grounds for worry.

Sorry for the Debbie Downer messaging, but my mission is to show people the BEAUTY of space weather, the Sun, aurora, etc. It is NOT dangerous, but selling fear sometimes works better than selling excitement and pushing a genuinely good message. Space weather is one of the future weather phenomena that does not result in loss of life or real harm to life and property, so it's okay to cheer on the Sun to blast off a CME or X-class flare. Society is prepared for the effects, and more practice is always better so we are prepared for bigger events when they do eventually happen.

[Small and Fierce @Li_Li78]

@Met4CastUK 5cm lying snow in Wolverhampton and it’s still coming down heavily

[Small and Fierce @Li_Li78]

@TheTuftandQuiff @billykayscot Miele Cat & Dog has been an absolute game changer after going through several Dysons. I have a white haired dog and black carpet so it gets used every day. Had it 3 years and still working like new. Bags last around 3 months

[Small and Fierce @Li_Li78]

@TamithaSkov The one on the right is really cool but difficult to read without glasses, maybe the colour scheme of the left?

[Small and Fierce @Li_Li78]

Finally had contact with my family members in Sav La Mar Westmoreland. “Complete carnage.” At least 6 months to get back to basics. But they’re alive 🙌🏾
#Melissa
#Jamaica
#Westmoreland

[Small and Fierce @Li_Li78]

@TadTawkz Same, I haven’t heard from any of my family in Sav. I know it’s going to take a while for comms and power to be restored but the anxiety is immense 😢

[✨ @headfullohair]

Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Westmoreland. I’m seeing no official news update or any address from govt officials about the state of affairs in the parish. It’s like Westmoreland doesn’t exist. We can’t reach our families. No update. Nothing!!!

[Small and Fierce @Li_Li78]

@IAMNJERA One of my favourite tracks ever! Gives me goosebumps
every
single
time

[Small and Fierce @Li_Li78]

@SkyNews £9.6 MILLION on a door?! Hey @RachelReevesMP here’s a nice little lump sum to start plugging that financial black hole you’re struggling with. Y’know, instead of picking on pensioners and the disabled… get a refund and stop wasting taxpayers money!

[Small and Fierce @Li_Li78]

Almost a year since I first saw this rare phenomenon and pretty chuffed to see them again tonight . 1 of the best sights of summer #noctilucentclouds

[Small and Fierce @Li_Li78]

@DoktorWatson @VirtualAstro Saw it in Wolverhampton, huge, very bright and falling vertically

[Small and Fierce @Li_Li78]

@liamquinn87 I’m in Wolverhampton and it lit up the room! Definitely looked like something falling from the sky and I ducked 😅

[Small and Fierce @Li_Li78]

Us OG’s were tortured for longer than Gemma being trapped at Lumon and Mark S being severed

[Jimothy @jamesbaratheon]

AND NOW you latecomers. Welcome to THE WAIT.

#severance

[Small and Fierce @Li_Li78]

@AppleTV Praise Kier!