A team of experts has warned of the possibility of a massive solar storm hitting Earth at any moment, powerful enough to disrupt satellites and destroy power grid infrastructure.
Although solar flares of this magnitude have not occurred for more than a thousand years, their recurrence today would pose an unprecedented threat to the digital world and the vital systems on which humans depend for daily life.
Scientists call this type of phenomenon the "Miyake Event," a term derived from the 2012 discovery by Japanese researcher Fusa Miyake, who observed a sharp spike in carbon-14 levels in cedar tree rings dating back more than 1,250 years. Her analysis indicated that the source of this spike was a massive solar flare that ejected massive amounts of high-energy particles toward Earth.
Professor Matthew Owens, of the University of Reading, stated that a repeat of today's "Miyake event" would "burn out electrical transformers and cause power grid collapse, making it difficult to restart them due to the long lead times for transformers to be manufactured and replaced."
What would happen if Earth was hit by a severe solar storm?
Power grids collapse around the world.
Internet and communication services outage.
Satellite and navigation equipment failure.
Water and sewage treatment plants are shut down.
Refrigerated food spoilage due to power outage.
Increased radiation at high flight altitudes can affect the health of passengers and crew.
Ozone layer depletion of up to 8.5%, with significant climate impacts.
Stunning views of the aurora borealis can be seen in unusual areas around the world.
Scientists explained that the world may only have 18 hours of advance warning before solar particles reach Earth, which is not enough time to take effective preventive measures on a large scale.
Experts suggest that the Miyake event could be at least ten times more powerful than the infamous Carrington storm of 1859, which disrupted telegraphs, caused equipment fires, and caused auroras to appear in areas near the equator.
In a study conducted by the University of Queensland, scientists concluded that an event of this type today could cause significant damage to technological society and the biosphere, due to scientists' limited ability to predict it and the difficulty of managing its consequences.
The study indicated that submarine cables and satellites could suffer severe damage, leading to a prolonged internet outage and disrupting the global economy and digital infrastructure.
