One In Eight Chance of a Financially Catastrophic Solar Storm By 2020 337
An anonymous reader writes "A privately employed solar scientist named Pete Riley estimates there's a 12 percent chance of a massive solar storm comparable to the Carrington Event in 1859 which resulted in breathtaking aurorae across the United States and other temperate regions of the globe. The electromagnetic surge from the 1859 event caused failures of telegraph systems across Europe and North America. A similar storm today could knock out power grids, GPS and communication satellites, data centers, transportation systems, and building and plumbing infrastructures and wreak $1 trillion or more of economic damage in the first year alone, according to a 2008 report from the National Academy of Sciences."
Re:What are the chances (Score:5, Funny)
Let me just check my Mayan calendar...
Oh yes, there it is.
Re:What's much more important is... (Score:5, Funny)
you must build... an ark, with two of every device
convert to electric, quick! (Score:1, Funny)
Brilliant.
By Any Other Name (Score:5, Funny)
So, is "privately employed solar scientist" a euphemism for "crackpot scientist"?
With a bit of luck... (Score:5, Funny)
If it WERE true (Score:4, Funny)
I would retitle this submission "One in twenty chance of naturally-caused
economic stimulus by 2020".
Be Prepared... (Score:5, Funny)
Print out your porn.
Re:Plumbing? (Score:5, Funny)
I would think that electronically controlled sewage treatment plants are at risk. Most people don't think about where their poo goes, but once it starts going nowhere, it will pile up very quick for communities.
That's alright, I live on top of a hill.
Re:What's much more important is... (Score:3, Funny)
But how will I prevent my Androids trying to attack my Apples? Surely if you put two androids and two apples on the same ark the androids will attempt to eat the apples!
Re:What are the chances (Score:5, Funny)
Let me just check my Mayan calendar...
Oh yes, there it is.
Is this a leap year?
Why? Do leap years make you jumpy?
Re:Plumbing? (Score:4, Funny)
I would think that electronically controlled sewage treatment plants are at risk. Most people don't think about where their poo goes, but once it starts going nowhere, it will pile up very quick for communities.
That would make this hypothetical event a literal shitstorm.
Re:What's much more important is... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:What's much more important is... (Score:4, Funny)
you must build... an ark, with two of every device
I assume it has to be an arc-proof ark?
Re:What's much more important is... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:What's much more important is... (Score:5, Funny)
Screw that, don't buy into this so-called 'conical cosmic ray deflector', which is probably some sort of fraudulent device.
Everyone knows that only Real Brazilian Power Crystals(tm) can actually help with this. Even the FDA would not deny that it is possible in English to have said that these crystals were very efficacious for dealing with solar storms and rheumatism.
Re:What's much more important is... (Score:5, Funny)