“Oh man, ever since global warming came on the scene it seems like our apocalyptic scenarios are all rising sea levels and spreading tropical disease. Now NASA has come up with an awesome new way the earth might get destroyed.
In 1859, a geomagnetic storm sparked by a huge solar flare swept over the Earth. Telegraph wires shorted out and set houses on fire. A brilliant aurora was seen in Hawaii—so bright that “people could read newspapers by [its] red and green glow.” Scientists predict that in May 2013, the sun’s solar cycle will peak at about the same level as in 1859. Get ready for space weather!
Next week, scientists will meet at the Space Weather Enterprise Forum in DC to talk about how to prevent civilization from being destroyed in the next few years by solar storms. The ability to monitor and predict so-called “space weather”—solar flares, interplanetary magnetic fields, etc.—is a relatively new capability. But what scientists have found is sort of unsettling. They predict a marked increase in solar storms over the next few years. According to NASA scientist Richard Fisher: “The sun is waking up from a deep slumber, and in the next few years we expect to see much higher levels of solar activity.”"
Read more at Gawker
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I’m not worried, I already wear a tinfoil hat at all times. Sorted.
Geomagnetic storms aren’t new. When they happen it is news.
yay we’re all going to be dragged kicking and screaming back to the stone age time to stock up on canned food, shotgun ammo, studded leather and watch the post-apocalyptic roll in
hm I’m flying to Manchester this week end to see Mr. Brown. (2000km?) Thanks for scaring me that my plane may get hit by a solar storm.
It’s not that new a threat. I’d say it’s been a threat for about as long as the Earth has revolved around the Sun.
Probably not much longer than that though.
‘NEW COMPETITION’
‘Guess how the Earth will be destroyed. Most creative idea wins a prize…An apocolypse proof cemetery plot!’
Chilax, people.
Solar flare prediction in short term is sketchy at best in the long term it is complete woowoo
Another hypotheses taken over as proof
The solar storms were there already way longer .. in fact .. all activity on the sun has had its influence on our planet all the time already. It’s not a stable thing up there .. never been .. never will be ..
No doubt planet earth wont exist for ever. The unstoppable way of nature …. Sofar here’s no higher level of solar activity present … but we may have another sun here .. that’s probably the reason ..
it doesnt matter were “dieing” in 2012 anywayz
lol!
…actually, folks, it ain’t the solar flares per se that’ll get us space monkeys and bring our civilisation crumbling to it’s knees, it’s the fact that all our power is transported across the planet on high voltage cables, held high above the ground. These act like a massive global aerial, and pick up the shit storm of particles given off in a solar flare, and go super saiyan on us. Though its not the cables that need replacing afterwards, but the transformers at each end of EVERY power line on the planet. A transformer consists of a shed load of copper cables going round and round and round. Pump this with GeV’s worth of energy, and they just melt into so much useless slag.The process of replacing them is complex, takes a a week at least per transformer, and a large power company typically has only one or two teams that carry out such work. Oh, and they rarely have more than a couple of spares knocking around, i mean, these things are supposed to last decades. Add to that the fact that said typical company may have three to four HUNDRED of these transformers/ pools of molten slag to replace in it’s network, and every single electric company across the PLANET is gonna be in the same boat, AND there won’t be any power to make any more transformer, AND throw in the general Mad Max, Book of Eli kinda shenanigans that the survivalist have been preping for for years as a background, and i think you begin to see ow serious the problem may well become.
We didn’t have high voltage cables in 1859. We did have a telegraph system, which went ape shit, but no high voltage cables. Prob won’t ever have any again afterwards either, for that matter…..
2012 is near :’( The solar flares will cause storms, big tsunamis.. thunderstorms.. then he seas will rise and we will all die……
-cough-
Would be a cool sight if im far enough away.
I’m not too worried about this, It’s not going to wipe out life on the planet. I’ll only get worried if it effects my internet conne
Solar flares do have the potential to at least cause severe communication disruptions. A direct hit on Earth has the potential to be very dangerous, especially given the prevalence of computers in virtually all aspects of our lives.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronal_mass_ejection#Impact_of_a_CME
While the comment, \”…prevent civilization from being destroyed in the next few years by solar storms.\” is alarmist and probably overstated, it does not mean the threat isn\’t a serious one.
Agrees with Brian…it’s a shame that the interpretation of the writter of that article seems to be taken as ‘Gospel-interpretation’ by many…its just his interpretation….though the influence that solar flares (combined with other space-weather and happenings) might have on earthquakes and volcanic eruptions here on earth could actually turn out to be surprising…lets just wait and see the proper answers scientists come up with after examining this thoroughly’…
Long live the Luddites! @Jess – Invasion of dolphin noise pollution?
What bothers me the most is ALL of the global warming studies (the ones I have read) do NOT take into account the impact of the sun on the earth’s historical temperatures. So little is known about the sun and its “cycles”, BUT it has the greatest affect on the earth’s ability to sustain life (way much more of an impact than the human factor), as we know it.
The longer the cable, the more energy it will pick up. From what I’ve read, most of western Europe will be fine with its high population density.. The US is a different matter, however.
Ok….if the solar activity is supposed to peak at the same level as in 1859, and the earth was not destroyed….what\’s the panic all about. It just means that we just need to make sure we’re well insured! LOL
Im not worried. Carrying an umbrelly so I can walk in the shade. No problem!! Communication disruption?? No problem there either. We operated in 1880 without it and lived through it.
I think this is what is being predicted and found in the Bible in the Book of REVELATION.If this things will then happen..well for sure Judgement day will come.We cannot escape from this and what we should to is to strenghtened our FAITH in GOD.
As of now we can see things happened as being predicted by Apostles John in REVELATION,..Only faith in God can stop this turmoil…we should need to accept christ..as he said he then come to judge people …
- I think you’ve been at the holy wine a bit too much – Phillis
I know where I am going when I die, do you know where you are going? If you can’t control the situation, don’t worry about it. Chill people or do I mean get your spf 1000 sun block?
It doesn’t matter after all. Humans cant do anything about it, we’re weaker against the natural phenomenon. Leave everything to Him.
People still can’t even predict weather for the week accurately. Why do we believe scientist can predict a “space storm” years in advance? Ridiculous!!
im more scared of the sun than I have been 2012 for a while now. Cuz sooner or later the suns just gonna expand and consume our planet anyway…not for a while though…and as far as solar solar flares go I really dont want every thing I own catching on fire (duh) , and I have no idea who got put in charge and put all the damn high voltage cables around the ENTIRE planet…but he should be fired. I hope these scientists put on their thinking caps. As far as 2012 goes, I just think the mayan calendar ended because either their civilization was wiped out and no one could finish it, or because they just stopped making the calanders. Could you imagine how hard it was to chizzel all those freaking calanders and whatever language they wrote where they drew stuff all over the wall. but thats me..
In 2012 Venus will complete it’s 40 revolution cycle. The Solar flare will be a prophetic Biblical occurance marking the 2nd coming and the rapture. PEOPLE GET READY JESUS IS COMING SOON.
Better start knocking down towers an dig some hella trenches…DitchWitch stock will skyrocket.
well ozone layer seems to be intact still as well as the moon to shield us (assuming coinside with impact) … but surely can never be as damaging as in the film “Knowing”…LOL
I cant believe this is actually happening because I thought 2012 was just a movie
I wonder if sunblock 40,000 will work?
seriously…They have said the worst it could do is knock out power. BIg FRIGGEN DEAL. everyone needs to chill cause as much as we’d liek to think we can do something about it, we can’t . chill