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What reads like the plot of a science fiction movie is a bitter reality: NASA has issued an official warning of a mega solar storm.
In the next few days, massive solar flares – so-called coronal mass ejections (CMEs) – could hit the Earth and severely damage our technological infrastructure.
Solar storm: harbingers already last week
The consequences could be far-reaching: power outages, communication disruptions, and, worst case, a complete internet blackout.
Several massive solar flares have already been recorded in the past week, resulting in radio blackouts worldwide – in Europe, Asia, and the USA.
Hardly any warning time before arrival on earth
The biggest problem is that there are often only around 30 minutes between detecting such a solar storm and its arrival on Earth. This makes it almost impossible to prepare in good time.
This threat is not hypothetical, as recently demonstrated: on May 10, the strongest solar storm in 20 years hit the Earth. The result: short-term power outages, disruption to satellites, and increased radiation exposure in the upper atmosphere.
Researchers worldwide are calling for national and international protective measures to better react to such events in the future. More satellites to observe the sun, improved real-time data, and closer cooperation between states should help manage the risks better.
- source: kurier.at/picture: Image by WikiImages from Pixabay
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