AN EARTH-SHATTERING KABOOM: Stellar explosion in Earth’s proximity. “While a very close supernova could inflict massive harm to life on Earth, this one was far enough away. It only caused a boost in cosmic rays over several thousand years. ‘However, this can lead to increased cloud formation,’ says co-author Dr. Thomas Faestermann. ‘Perhaps there is a link to the Pleistocene epoch, the period of the Ice Ages, which began 2.6 million years ago.'”