By studying a nearby sun-like star, astronomers have concluded that the Sun is capable of releasing solar flares a thousand times greater than anything previously recorded. Scientists say the chances of this are quite slim, but warn that such an event would threaten life on Earth.

A typical solar flare, which happens on our Sun at irregular and frequent intervals, releases energy equal to about 100 million megaton bombs (or 10²⁹ to 10³² ergs of energy over a timescale of a few hours). But a superflare, which astronomers frequently (and mercifully) observe outside our Solar System, is more powerful by an order of magnitude, releasing energies equivalent to a billion megaton bombs (or 10³³ to 10³⁶ ergs).