Solar storm could leave Britain without power 'for months'

[Jazzy]

The risk of a catastrophic solar storm that would leave countries including the United Kingdom and United States without electricity for days or even months will peak in 2015, a new report claims.

The study, a joint venture from researchers at Lloyd's of London and Atmospheric and Environmental Research (AER) in the United States, details a dystopian scenario where a shortage of electrical transformers would leave Western nations without electricity for months because of the time needed to build replacements.

A solar storm occurs when magnetic fields "loop" out of sunspots, releasing huge amounts of energy. These bursts of "plasma", a super heated, electrically-charged gas, could enter the Earth's own magnetic field and eventually disrupt networks dependent on electricity on the ground.

Huge surges of electricity flowing unexpectedly into telephone lines, the National Grid and transport networks would overwhelm them, resulting in widespread power failures.

The total cost of such a scenario today in Europe and North America is estimated by Lloyd's at $2.6 trillion (£1.67tr) for a five-month blackout period, though it could be as low as $0.6tr (£0.39tr).

According to the report, Earth is overdue for such an event, which would normally be expected every 150 years.

"Historical auroral records suggest a return period of... 150 years for very extreme storms," it reads, adding that "The geomagnetic storm risk is projected to peak in early 2015".
Data on sunspots, extreme magnetic activity on the sun's surface that can cause solar storms, dates back to 1775. This date is thought of as the beginning of the first of Earth's 11-year "solar cycles". Currently, the Earth is nearing the peak of the 24th cycle.

Full article with pictures

Months without electric? Oh, my, how will we all survive with no internet access? Just sounds like a scare tactic to me. Well, just to make sure, let me run out and buy the essentials before the stores are all sold out! :s

 

[Evil Eye]

So... have 'em build a few backups and... fixed? Sort of.

Oh, my, how will we all survive with no internet access?

We will all be reduced to cavemen!

 

[Raven]

Would acutally like that to be honest, plenty of nights in my tipi

 

[Evil Eye]

No food in your fridge, though!

 

[Sinon]

I live relatively close to a forest, so I'm sure I could go out hunting >_>

 

[Raven]

^ Me too. And eat berries.
Plenty of tinned food in the cupboards.

 

[Crusader]

No Internet for months?! The amount of crime that would take place in such an event...