The Northern Lights Have Inspired Humans for Thousands of Years
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- The northern lights illuminated the skies over North America and Northern Europe during one of the largest solar radiation storms in decades, displaying vibrant red, green, and orange colors.
- The aurora borealis has fascinated humans for thousands of years, with evidence of its depiction found in prehistoric cave paintings, religious texts, and various myths and legends.
- The Inuit believed the northern lights were torches lit by spirits of the dead to guide new spirits to a higher realm, reflecting their spiritual significance.
- Different cultures have interpreted the aurora as an omen or sign, such as an Indigenous Siberian tribe associating it with childbirth and ancient Chinese records linking it to pregnancy.
- These diverse cultural interpretations highlight the longstanding human fascination with and rever
