Massive Solar Flare could paralyse Earth in 2013

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A massive solar flare could cause global chaos in 2013, causing blackouts and wrecking satellite communications, a conference heard yesterday.
Nasa has warned that a peak in the sun's magnetic energy cycle and the number of sun spots or flares around 2013 could generate huge radiation levels.

The resulting solar storm could cause a geomagnetic storm on Earth, knocking out electricity grids around the world for hours, days, or even months, bringing much of normal life grinding to a halt.
Defence Secretary Liam Fox, who delivered the keynote address at an international conference on the vulnerability of electricity grids around the world, warned that modern societies' dependence on technology leaves them vulnerable to such events.


http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/...69_468x356.jpg A massive solar flare is caught on camera on September 8th. Scientists fear that the Sun's activity could cause havoc on Earth in 2013


The Sun follows an 11-year cycle of high and low periods of solar activity. It is now leaving a notably quiet phase and scientists expect to see a sharp increase in the number of solar flares as well as unprecedented levels of magnetic energy.
The rings of fire, which have the power of 100 hydrogen bombs, could cause twenty times more economic damage than Hurricane Katrina.

Experts met in Washington DC in June to discuss how to protect Earth from the ferocious flares, which are expected sometime around 2013.
Nasa is using dozens of satellites – including the Solar Dynamics Observatory – to study the threat.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencete...#ixzz10C51dXFO

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we gotta get through 2012 first lol

I was just guna say, we'll be dead in 2012... lol

Yet another slow news day I expect. They must have hundreds of these, piled up ready to publish for when there's no killers on the loose, etc.

Well since the world is going to end in 2012, we won't have to worry about this surely? Haha just kidding. I obviously don't believe in the 2012 "end of the world" business. I doubt this will cause any damage or damage that will end the world as we know it, time will tell I suppose.

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Originally Posted by Mathew

Yet another slow news day I expect. They must have hundreds of these, piled up ready to publish for when there's no killers on the loose, etc.

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Whilst there is many slow news stories with 2012, killer earthquakes etc this is actually a more serious article. It's not saying it's going to be disastrous etc but it's note worthy when NASA and the Defence Secretary begin talking about it, don't be too quick to write this one off in my opinion (I'm usually the first to rubbish all these end of the world things).

If we're well prepared then everything will be alright, otherwise CHAOS.

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The resulting solar storm could cause a geomagnetic storm on Earth, knocking out electricity grids around the world for hours, days, or even months, bringing much of normal life grinding to a halt.

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Oh that won't matter here in once-Great Britain then, because thanks to the frothing-at-the-mouth green lobby we are heading back to the 1970s yet again with marvellous powercuts because as usual the people at the top cannot get anything right - so get out the blankets, light your candles and grab a book because its going to be chilly!!! I guess though we can rely on our taxpayer subsidised wind turbines, solar panels and the rest of that nonsense - not!

But to echo what others have said; whatever happens, happens.

Sorry, we're already dead due to the Hadron Collier.

I think this sounds legit, especially more than 2012 lol. But it's not on the NASA website?

We're such a pessimistic race aren't we? :P

hxf will be dead for hours, days or even months :(

There was one in 1859 that cut all telecoms at the time. We rely on technology a lot more now, so it could cause a lot of problems. Hospital equiptment, emergency services, air traffic control.

They have a couple of years to prepare though, but even if they don't affect us, I think they will pretty much turn the systems off during the solar storm to prevent damage.

You're talking about shutting off every single electronic device in the world. Including medical technology such as pacemakers and life support machines. As well as storage, and technology which modern agriculture is dependent. Also there is quite a lot of technology in the world which is designed to run continuously which take a great deal of time to shut down. So all technology such as this would need to be shut down weeks in advance, plunging the world into an earlier complete power out. It would be a massive undertaking, shutting down every piece of technology were are dependent on. Also solar flares can cause major havoc on organic lifeforms, as the radiation penetrates our cells, they can become eradiated and become tumourous and cancerous.

If a flare does hit us, life may change as we know it, and we could be in it for the long run.

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Originally Posted by Moh

There was one in 1859 that cut all telecoms at the time. We rely on technology a lot more now, so it could cause a lot of problems. Hospital equiptment, emergency services, air traffic control.

They have a couple of years to prepare though, but even if they don't affect us, I think they will pretty much turn the systems off during the solar storm to prevent damage.

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"The Sun follows an 11-year cycle of high and low periods of solar activity. It is now leaving a notably quiet phase and scientists expect to see a sharp increase in the number of solar flares as well as unprecedented levels of magnetic energy"

So if its every 11 years its happened before...and yet nothing really happened on earth???

Also you cant really say if this will occur or not after-all this is just an assumption.

If this does happen, I think it'll be fun (only if it lasted a couple of hours though)

I can't stand ******** like this ever.

oo we'll die in 2012.. just kill me today tbh to get me away from crap like this ;)

It's true, they are assumptions. But they can estimate the trajectory of a solar flare, and if its trajectory meets up with Earth, we will be exposed. It's possible that the last time this occurred the solar flare(s) weren't on a trajectory which met with Earth, so we wouldn't have been affected.

I'm assuming this is why they're worried cause a solar flare could pass through Earth then next time is happens :(.

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Originally Posted by [Jay]

"The Sun follows an 11-year cycle of high and low periods of solar activity. It is now leaving a notably quiet phase and scientists expect to see a sharp increase in the number of solar flares as well as unprecedented levels of magnetic energy"

So if its every 11 years its happened before...and yet nothing really happened on earth???

Also you cant really say if this will occur or not after-all this is just an assumption.

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Why is everyone talking about this as if it's another mad end of the world theory?

Solar flares happen, and they have caused a lot of damage in the past.

SOLAR FLARE@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

I laugh in the face of these theorists.

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Originally Posted by Callum.

SOLAR FLARE@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

I laugh in the face of these theorists.

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It's true though, this will happen, maybe not when they predict... but thats the whole meaning of predict. Guessing, with what information they have.

in a way, it will give us a chance to see what its like without all the technology that could potentially be effected. but it could also be a disaster, could? will most likely.

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Originally Posted by iSarcastix

It's true, they are assumptions. But they can estimate the trajectory of a solar flare, and if its trajectory meets up with Earth, we will be exposed. It's possible that the last time this occurred the solar flare(s) weren't on a trajectory which met with Earth, so we wouldn't have been affected.

I'm assuming this is why they're worried cause a solar flare could pass through Earth then next time is happens :(.

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As far as I'm aware, solar flares aren't like meteorites in that their trajectory must mean they hit earth. They don't hit earth - the radiation 'travels' to us.

And whoever said that these 11 year cycles have happened before, yes the cycles have happened before but the cycle is merely lesser solar flares followed by more powerful flares on an 11 yearly cycle, thus meaning one cycle could end up with far stronger flares than another.

I don't know why people even bother posting threads on these theories, stop getting so hung up on your life ending or you'll end up not living it. The only bad thing about this would be if it lasted months or if it affected pace makers. Hospitals would also be in trouble. Maybe it's time to get the ol' lead plateing out and insulate our hospitals? :P

Obviously the children on habbox have yet to grow up, solar flares are a real thing and can cause quite a lot of damage, anyone that thinks this is some "world ending event" is an idiot but it can make things more difficult.

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Originally Posted by Wig44.

And whoever said that these 11 year cycles have happened before, yes the cycles have happened before but the cycle is merely lesser solar flares followed by more powerful flares on an 11 yearly cycle, thus meaning one cycle could end up with far stronger flares than another.

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I think the main point really is it's only really become a problem more recently, 11 years ago technology wasn't the thing it is today, of course it was around but there is very little in the world that doesn't function without technology, it's never been something people would really pay much attention too because 20-30 years ago it could of just been considered a power cut or nothing of notice, today if the worlds power went because of a solar flare that would make "normal living" impossible because we rely on computers to do so much for us.

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Originally Posted by stephenHi

hxf will be dead for hours, days or even months :(

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Don't scare me like that I don't know how I'll go on

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Originally Posted by Callum.

SOLAR FLARE@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

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First thing I thought of when I saw the thread :(

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Originally Posted by Neil

I think the main point really is it's only really become a problem more recently, 11 years ago technology wasn't the thing it is today, of course it was around but there is very little in the world that doesn't function without technology, it's never been something people would really pay much attention too because 20-30 years ago it could of just been considered a power cut or nothing of notice

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More likely it's because of the far larger magnetic activity going on this time around actually, considering 11 years ago we did still have rather a lot of electrical equipment rolling around. Pretty sure I was only playing with sticks and rocks as a child because I thought they were fun to dig holes in the school field with, not because we didn't have TV and computers in 1999

edit: My bad, looking at the date this is supposed to happen the last ATTACK OF THE SUN!!!! was 2002, I wasn't still sitting in puddles trying to dig my way to Australia when I was 12 honest

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Originally Posted by Callum.

SOLAR FLARE@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

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haha first thing that came to mind

Thank god for this at least I'll be able to cook me burgers without a grill I can do it outside in the sun on a car bonnet.


Bring it on *******

This isn't world-ending, but it is gunna change us dramatically. If we start preparing now, we can minimize the damage. We can say right, we can't STOP the flare, we can't PREVENT it, but we can minimize it. If the scientists admit to themselves it's impossible to stop completely, and focus on creating technology that will minimize the damage, we'll be ok.

But I won't be able to DJ and I'll cry ;(

How will i live without facebook for a few days? D:

People make a joke out of this...but in reality think about what uses technology....

Life Support
Goverment Computer Systems
Bank Computers

to name but 3...business will be destroyed, Governments will find it hard to function, people around the world will die because their life support goes, ect. I just hope I'm not severely ill that year.

Bring it on!

Hmmm, thinking about it, this sounds very much like Y2K...where all the computers were gunna explode because they couldn't compute 1/1/2000 and they'd just go to 1/1/19001 :L

19100*

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Originally Posted by R0BB13G

Hmmm, thinking about it, this sounds very much like Y2K...where all the computers were gunna explode because they couldn't compute 1/1/2000 and they'd just go to 1/1/19001 :L

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lol wtf robbie?

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Originally Posted by iRaaave.

lol wtf robbie?

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It was a binary error. Several computers didn't understand that after 1999 came 2000 instead they went 19100 don't ask me..binary is not my thing lol. But this will be similar as long as we know how to fix it quickly we'll be fine.

Don't worry all. At least the Jehovah's Witnesses will survive. ;)