Nasa warns solar flares from 'huge space storm' will cause devastation

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/...-huge-space-storm-will-cause-devastation.html

After reading it all, I'm basically thinking that it's meant to mean "We're all ****ed. We just don't know HOW ****ed."

Worst case scenario, global power outtages. People riot. We cause mass destruction and death. Societal collapse.

Best case scenario, Northern Europe loses power for a few hours.

 

so, looks like we might not get a 2012, but this is going to cause enough problems that people will most likely freak out and everything

 

This will take place in 2013 actually.

So essentially the sun has two cycles that we're concerned about here; one for intensity of magnetism and another for intensity of flares. And then the two of these are going to peak at the same time somewhere in 2013. So there is danger of an EMP type effect here. But until it actually happens we won't know how tightly the converging of the peaks will be or anything like that.

Have to say that one is pretty scary. I definitely wouldn't want to be traveling in that time.

 

I know this is going to sound stupid, but isn't it possible to take this short time to try and find a way to minimize some of the damage that the blast could cause?

 

I don't think there'd be much of a chance, unless we built a giant lead wall around the planet.

 

Forcefields.

Actually if I'm not mistaken a Solar flare of this magnitude could destroy the transformers(not the robots) along with satellites. If it were to take all those out we'd be screwed, so if we can predict close to the exact time of this flare we could shut them all off before the strike. Not sure if that could totally protect them(especially the satellites, dunno how to save those), but it's better than just hoping nothing happens.

It could turn out to be nothing big, but we rely on technology too much not to take precautions of some kind in the coming years.

 

someone call Danny Phantom.
...I'm sorry, I just had to get that out. So instead, why don't we try planning ahead, so we can try and fix things when it happens?

 

Ah-ha ah-ha, yeah. The box ghost would be more effective here.
I don't know if the world can take it seriously enough or care to put in a viable defense measure. It would be really sad if we predicted this thing, knew exactly what was going to happen, yet ignored it. I'm sure there are plenty of counter procedures we could enforce though(it's what we pay those solar watchers for).

 

There's not much we COULD do though. Basically, this will fry any computers, cell phones, power grids, or anything else that is sensitive to magnetic waves. It's pretty much a technology reset button.

 

man, looks like our Dark Ages is about to come up. No pun intended

 

I think they're over-exaggerating by making it seem worse than it is and are just trying to cause a scare.

The same thing was done when the swine flu outbreak happened, and that didn't turn out so bad.

 

as bad as we thought anyways. It was still pretty annoying

 

Well yeah, but that happens every few years with a new flu of some kind. This is an actual threat to society.
Not just because of our precious emails, medical equipment could easily get fried and airplanes would be flying blind. I'm just glad to have a basement when all this shiz goes down.

 

It doesn't matter what it is, though. It could be the flu, shark attacks, dangerous waters, something like this, etc. and still not be that bad.

Anything can be exaggerated.

 

I've got a basement, I don't know about any of you. And I'm keeping it to myself, I don't want my family coming down and ruining my nice and quiet time

 

Remind me not to seek shelter at your house when the nukes come in after the flare..

I now know what I'm going to do for the next 2 years, stocking kettle corn.

@Am Sharks don't take my iPod away, but yes things can be exaggerated. Geez you're a contrarian.

 

oh I might for you, if you're not obnoxious or loud or anything. I like things quiet, and peaceful. Make noise and I'm getting the boot and using it to kick you up to the first floor

 

So basically; some technology will stop working temporarily due to this thing. Fair enough, I can totally see how that'd be a problem, but we'll either figure out a way to protect ourselves from it, or get over it in record time afterwards. My main concern is the possibility of it taking out life support systems and things like that. That would be nasty, to say the least.

Well, my plan will just be to be in Texas when it's due. Might as well get stuck somewhere I wanna be, right?

 

But this poses an actual threat to, like Droid mentioned, life support systems in hospitals, which are keeping people alive.

Even if they are exaggerating, I'd rather we take precautions in the event that it is as serious as NASA is making it out to be.
To be honest when I saw this my first thought was the movie Knowing. >_>