Solar Magnetic Storms

Today on Far Future Horizons we present another exciting episode from the History Channel’s acclaimed documentary series The Universe. 

This installment investigates the mother of all solar magnetic storms the "Solar Katrinas" created by the sun. We will also explore the dangers posed by a sudden devastating electromagnetic pulse (EMP) emanating from the Sun.

Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) of February 27, 2000

These storms have the power of ten thousand nuclear bombs and could cause global electrical blackouts, electronics malfunctions and communication disasters if one should hit the Earth.

One such disaster nearly occurred on July 22^nd, 2012.

Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) of August 31, 2012

On that day, Earth experienced came very close to seeing the end of its global technical civilization, but most newspapers didn't even mention it. This extreme solar storm, the most powerful in over 150 years was very much like the Carrington Event of September 1^st, 1859.

"If it had hit, we would still be picking up the pieces," says Daniel Baker of the University of Colorado.

The Carrington Event

More than one hundred and fifty years ago a solar storm fried telegraph lines across the world during a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) widely known to astronomers as the Carrington Event.

This episode of The Universe can be purchased via Amazon’s Instant Video.

The Universe ~ Magnetic Storm
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