Massive solar storm to hit Earth in 2012 with 'force of 100m bombs'

linky...

'Astronomers are predicting that a massive solar storm, much bigger in potential than the one that caused spectacular light shows on Earth earlier this month, is to strike our planet in 2012 with a force of 100 million hydrogen bombs.'

Uhoh guys, 2012 is not going to be a great year. How would you guys cope without all your modern technology?

We can't predict solar storms until they happen. The closest we can come is by watching the development of sunspots (more sunspots means more solar activity) and by the 11-year Solar Maximum/Minimum cycle.

Any predictions more than a day or so before the event are utter baloney.

so I wouldn't be able to watch TV? that stinks.. killerfist

Oh noes!!!! We're all gonna die!!! I'll be at home listening to music and playing videogames. Like I always do. l4dak47

So it won't blow up the earth? Only electronics? Well...I'm happy as long as I don't die a virgin *sigh*lonewolf604

[QUOTE="lonewolf604"]So it won't blow up the earth? Only electronics? Well...I'm happy as long as I don't die a virgin *sigh*MushroomWig

It's going to be like Fallout 3, isn't it? ISN'T IT!!!!

I aint too worried. My bolt action 30.06 will still work, and so will the 10x scope it has. All a man needs is a hobo stick on his back, and a pocket full of dreams(and a big gun doesn't hurt either).

[QUOTE="killerfist"]so I wouldn't be able to watch TV? that stinks.. MushroomWig

No electricity wouldn't be so bad. However I doubt this will happen anyway.

EDIT: And it's only for a few years if it does happen? That's not bad at all. Yeah I mean the hospitals having no power and phones not working (people not being able to ring the police) would really be a problem but if we're talking about your average family it's very easy to cope without electricity.

it's very easy to cope without electricity.

ex-mortis

Quick everyone charge up their PSP's and DS', we'll have no electricity! :shock:

I believe it when I see it. Just how funny is it that it will be on 2012, the year the world is suppose to end....GrandJury

[QUOTE="ex-mortis"]it's very easy to cope without electricity.

MushroomWig

[QUOTE="ex-mortis"]it's very easy to cope without electricity.

MushroomWig

We'll just have to raid the cupboard to power our PCs:

Eating can wait, I ******* need the interwebs.

Take that all you damn eco-mentalists and your electric cars!!

bring on the new world order! reptillians will take over.

[QUOTE="ex-mortis"]it's very easy to cope without electricity.

MushroomWig

It's very convenient yeah but in no way absolutely necessary. Many people would find it unbearable to live without power but in time even those would learn to live with it. It's hard to imagine a world truly without power but adaptation is not impossible.

It was nice knowing you!juden41

[QUOTE="MushroomWig"]

[QUOTE="ex-mortis"]it's very easy to cope without electricity.

ex-mortis

It's very convenient yeah but in no way absolutely necessary. Many people would find it unbearable to live without power but in time even those would learn to live with it. It's hard to imagine a world truly without power but adaptation is not impossible.

I like how it says 'Predicting'

You know what other predictions never pan out, the god damn weather report.

IF it happens as long as I still have books I'm good ThePostMaster

Good thing I have a generator:)

Good thing the power goes out for months around here regularly when a hurricane decides to grace us with it's presence.

At least we don't have to worry about Skynet or any machines taking over the world now.

It doesn't strike our planet with the force of 100 million hydrogen bombs, that's ridiculous. It emits the energy of 100 million hydrogen bombs (if anything), and then we'll see what actually strikes us.BiancaDK

if its on my week of I'll be spending it in bed drunk waiting it out

didn't quite get this sentence..

"They claim satellites will be aged by 50 years, rendering GPS even more useless than ever, and the blast will have the equivalent energy of 100 million hydrogen bombs." they're saying GPS is useless now??

EDIT. plus, like the article mentions.. only the predictions that are the most catastrophic sounding will get a lot of press..

Inflammatory nonsense article is chicken littlish to the extreme.

Here is a much clearer and balanced article on the same subject, with the same scientist as in the OP. The OP article is drivel journalism which misrepresents what is being said in an alarmist manner.

Bottomline: With prudent planning and paying attention to the information being relayed by observational satellites, most of the potential effects can be avoided by simply placing satellites in safe mode and turning off key pieces of earthbound infrastructure, namely key transformers, beforehand. The guy is simply suggesting we be prudent and that emergency procedures should be developed and put in-place in case/when these types of extra solar activity take place.

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/04jun_swef/

The earthy magnetic pulse will deflect some of the blast so we might only get hit with 50 million (more or less). Also it would take a minimum of six minutes to arrive to earth. In that time NASA could turn off the national power grid so no major electronics will be damaged. The only electronics that will be damaged are cars and cell phones. wind-OF-s0rrOw

Definitely not believing this one, sounds like a lot of fear mongering to me...

[QUOTE="wind-OF-s0rrOw"]The earthy magnetic pulse will deflect some of the blast so we might only get hit with 50 million (more or less). Also it would take a minimum of six minutes to arrive to earth. In that time NASA could turn off the national power grid so no major electronics will be damaged. The only electronics that will be damaged are cars and cell phones. comp_atkins

[QUOTE="ThePostMaster"] IF it happens as long as I still have books I'm good MushroomWig

This won't happen. =D