Total Solar Eclipse 2024: NASA says solar eclipse does not poison food

NASA There is no reality to the claim that food made during an eclipse will be poisoned

Alexander Lewis - Apr 07, 2024

A representational image of solar eclipse. — Pixabay

The solar eclipse is confirmed to be on April 8. This celestial event aroused significant discussion concerning the myths and stories around it.

Citing WFLA, an NBC affiliate based in Florida reported some of the old stories about the eclipse in the article.

Myths about solar eclipse

In ancient China, eclipses were said to be produced by "a dragon swallowing the sun," but in Vietnam, people thought it was a huge frog doing the swallowing.
In German mythology, the sun and moon are married, hence an eclipse was considered the "moment when the couple unites."
The Inuit people thought that the sun and moon were brothers and sisters and that an eclipse occurred when the siblings battled.

Whereas, there are various eclipse-related stories and teachings out there, NASA has been compelled to remark on a limited number. However, in 2017, the organisation spoke out, stating that there is no truth to the claim that food cooked during an eclipse gets poisoned.

According to NASA, the myth is based on the belief that a total solar eclipse emits "harmful solar rays" that might harm food.

“If that were the case, the same radiations would harm the food in your pantry, or crops in the field,” and “The basic idea is that total solar eclipses are terrifying and their ghostly green coronae look frightening, so it is natural to want to make up fearful stories about them and look for coincidences among events around you,” NASA stated.

NASA’s eclipse programme manager said, “The light is focused differently in the shadow of the Moon but doesn’t change its basic properties.” The sun’s radiation remains constant before, during, or after an eclipse.

Can you stare directly at the sun during an eclipse?

NASA stated that scientists investigated the radiation emitted during a solar eclipse and decided that it is too weak to enter the atmosphere and cause injury, such as blindness.

In a statement, NASA reported, “If you watched the sun before totality, you will catch a glimpse of the brilliant solar surface and this can cause retinal damage, though the typical human instinctual response is to quickly look away before any severe damage has occurred.”

However, if you look directly at the sun before the moon covers it, you can damage your eyes.