A powerful X1.9 solar flare from new sunspot AR4299 triggered strong radio blackouts, as giant sunspot AR4294 rotates into view with more activity likely.
I think it was late 1800s America got hit by one that allowed unpowered telegrams to be sent nationwide for like, a while. If we got one that strong in the modern era, it would blow every single electric transformer on that entire hemisphere. Not just hit the safety and cut out, like actually explode and be permanently destroyed.
Those things are already difficult to produce for multiple reasons, and losing them on that scale would take over a decade to recover. And it would obviously happen in the wealthiest places first, and global demand would mean other places can’t afford to replace any from normal breakage, along with driving up the price of a lot of materials used for other electronics.
We won’t see it coming either. Like, the article says we’re predicting more the next few days, but that’s because these are always happening, and when there’s one big one, there’s likely to be other big ones.
It’s one of those things you can’t unlearn once you realize we’re at a constant risk of something that would basically ruin society. At least it’s a coin flip if it hits anywhere specific when it happens. Because eventually it will happen
Lasted about two hours, batteries were frying them so they took out the batteries trying to shut them off, but they just kept working due to ambient current on the lines.
It also brought up how much more random it is, it’s not like a hand grenade that expands equally. It’s more like someone threw a bunch of loose bottle rockets in a camp fire. They’re all going to go off, but the chances of hitting one specific spot is low. Obviously we’re all spinning and hurtling thru space too, so it truly is just random fucking chance.
Still not a “big” one…
I think it was late 1800s America got hit by one that allowed unpowered telegrams to be sent nationwide for like, a while. If we got one that strong in the modern era, it would blow every single electric transformer on that entire hemisphere. Not just hit the safety and cut out, like actually explode and be permanently destroyed.
Those things are already difficult to produce for multiple reasons, and losing them on that scale would take over a decade to recover. And it would obviously happen in the wealthiest places first, and global demand would mean other places can’t afford to replace any from normal breakage, along with driving up the price of a lot of materials used for other electronics.
We won’t see it coming either. Like, the article says we’re predicting more the next few days, but that’s because these are always happening, and when there’s one big one, there’s likely to be other big ones.
It’s one of those things you can’t unlearn once you realize we’re at a constant risk of something that would basically ruin society. At least it’s a coin flip if it hits anywhere specific when it happens. Because eventually it will happen
The Carrington Event - 1859
Thanks.
Lasted about two hours, batteries were frying them so they took out the batteries trying to shut them off, but they just kept working due to ambient current on the lines.
It also brought up how much more random it is, it’s not like a hand grenade that expands equally. It’s more like someone threw a bunch of loose bottle rockets in a camp fire. They’re all going to go off, but the chances of hitting one specific spot is low. Obviously we’re all spinning and hurtling thru space too, so it truly is just random fucking chance.