The Day the Silicon Died

[PickensSlim]

From wattsupwiththat

A reminder to us flyspecks on an elephant’s butt
7 05 2008

This article from NASA’s Science portal is a sobering reminder of the power of our nearest star. Given that we are in a deep solar minimum now, I thought I’d remind everyone of the kinds of things that can happen when solar max and a cantankerous CME erupts.

The vanity held by many of us puny humans tends to bolster a belief that we control our own destiny within the universe, or are even masters of our own climate control. Recent events such as the PDO shift remind us that the slow but powerful forces of nature remain in control.

If this solar event in 1859 happened today, it would probably be known as “the day the silicon died”. Given how dependent we are on technology now, and given how much wiring we all have to act as antennas, one CME like this one could spell worldwide disaster.

[SumSam]

“What Carrington saw was a white-light solar flare—a magnetic explosion on the sun,” explains David Hathaway, solar physics team lead at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

Now we know that solar flares happen frequently, especially during solar sunspot maximum. Most betray their existence by releasing X-rays (recorded by X-ray telescopes in space) and radio noise (recorded by radio telescopes in space and on Earth). In Carrington’s day, however, there were no X-ray satellites or radio telescopes. No one knew flares existed until that September morning when one super-flare produced enough light to rival the brightness of the sun itself.

“It’s rare that one can actually see the brightening of the solar surface,” says Hathaway. “It takes a lot of energy to heat up the surface of the sun!”

Wow! So just like folks keep watching out for the next big earthquake, now we've gotta start watching out for the next solar big flare up? :doh

[svend]

You can worry about, solar flares, earth quakes, hurricanes, tornado's, glaciers retreating, summers too warm, winters too cold but when it is all said and done God is still in control and everything happens in His timing

[MKLevesque]

I honestly don't think a solar flare that takes out technology will happen anytime soon because the technology IMO will be required for globalization and the MOB. (That is of course if the rapture is to happen soon.)