Countdown to chaos: Sun nearing solar maximum in 2 years, threatening ‘internet apocalypse’
Image shows coronal mass ejection from the Sun
The heightened interest in solar cycles and their potential impact on Earth has been ignited by the looming solar maximum in 2025.
This period, characterised by heightened solar activity, has prompted concerns about the vulnerability of today's digital world to devastating solar storms capable of disrupting global communication networks.
According toWashington Post, the Sun will reach "solar maximum" — a particularly active period — in 2025. It has reportedon the lack of preparedness and the surge of misinformation surrounding this issue, leading to an atmosphere of uncertainty and speculation.
The reality of internet apocalypse
While it remains unclear whether the 2025 solar storm could bring about the much-dreaded "end of the internet," discussions have emerged regarding the fate of the "always online" society in such an event.
The WashingtonPost acknowledges that these concerns are not entirely unfounded, as the impact of a strong solar storm on Earth's interconnected infrastructure could result in widespread internet outages.
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Historical events like the Carrington Event of 1859, which caused telegraph lines to spark and operators to be electrocuted, as well as the 1989 solar storm that disrupted the Quebec power grid for hours, serve as reminders of the potential dangers.
What could be the infrastructure vulnerabilities?
Sangeetha Abdu Jyothi, a computer science professor at the University of California, Irvine who has played a significant role in bringing attention to this issue through her paper titled 'Solar Superstorms: Planning for an Internet Apocalypse', told the Washington Post aboutthe uncertainty surrounding how current infrastructure would withstand extreme solar events, given that such scenarios are not accounted for in failure testing.
"We've never experienced one of the extreme case events, and we don't know how our infrastructure would respond to it. Our failure testing doesn't even include such scenarios," she told the Post.
The potential economic impact of a single day of lost connectivity due to a solar storm in the United States alone is estimated to exceed $11 billion.
As the United States celebrated Independence Day on July 4, the Sun itself put on a spectacular display of solar storms, captured by NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO).
Space weather physicist Tamitha Skov shared a video showcasing the coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that emanated from the Sun, providing a visual reminder of the powerful forces at play.
In short, the impending solar maximum in 2025 has fuelled concerns about the potential for devastating solar storms and their impact on global communication networks.
While uncertainties and misinformation abound, experts emphasise the need to acknowledge the risks and adequately prepare for potential disruptions that could lead to significant economic consequences.
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