Solar storms can KILL you; They are more dangerous now than you think; check chilling TRUTH | Tech News

Solar storms can KILL you; They are more dangerous now than you think; check chilling TRUTH

Solar storms are fearsome and have terrifying consequences. Now, they hold even more terror for us.

By: HT TECH
| Updated on: Oct 13 2022, 11:54 IST
NASA: From Solar Winds, Solar Flares to CME, check how solar phenomena impact Earth
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1/5 The harrowing thing is that it will not just be China that would be affected by such a devastating solar storm. (NASA)
Solar Storm
2/5 Solar Flares: Solar flares are photon flares emitted from the Sun which travel from the flare site. They are rated on the basis of their intensity with the highest being an X-rated solar flare. It can cause power and radio blackouts and are responsible for the stunning phenomenon known to us as the Northern Lights or Auroras. (NASA/SDO)
Solar Storm
3/5 Coronal Mass Ejections (CME): CMEs are massive plasma clouds carrying photons that are ejected from the Sun. CME occurs during the solar cycle and is at peak in the middle of the cycle. (NASA)
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4/5 Solar Winds: Solar winds are high speed winds coming from holes in the Sun called Coronal holes. These holes can form anywhere on the surface of the Sun. If these solar winds prevail near the solar equator, they can cause impact on Earth, according to NASA. (Pixabay)
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5/5 Solar Energetic Particles: Solar energetic particles are emitted from the Sun during Coronal Mass Ejections. These are charged particles; hence they follow the magnetic field lines between the Sun and the Earth and if they pass the magnetic fields near Earth, they have an impact. (NASA)
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Can solar storm strikes kill humans on Earth? Find out chilling truth. (Pixabay)

When a solar storm struck the Earth in 1859 it caused fires to break out spontaneously in telegraph system and gave electric shocks to operators. It destroyed the telegraph system and caused power grid failure. It was a terrifying event. The destruction was limited though simply because there were almost no electric or electronic power or electronic devices which could be impacted by the magnetized radiation of a solar storm. But in 2022, the reality is totally different. With Earth becoming a more connected space and humans more dependent on technology from computers, phone to satellites, we have become more prone to falling victims to solar storms. And their attacks are not just limited to computers and other technologies, as they now target us humans as well. That is a terrifying prospect to ponder.

Solar storms can kill you

Foremost, NASA has said that solar storms cannot directly harm humans. While that is a technically correct statement since the most harmful radiation never makes it past the Earth's protective ozone layer, it does not tell the entire truth. And the truth is that humans can definitely die as a consequence of a solar storm strike, just not directly. But with computers being so closely connected to us, them being harmed can mean death for humans.

Take the horrifying example of Marie Moe. Her pacemaker's computer began acting up mid-flight after a solar storm strike! It was revealed that the magnetized radiation corrupted the computer. If the issue was not spotted or taken care of when it was, it could have killed her, a BBC report revealed.

Another incident took place in 2008 when a Qantas Airways flight over Western Australia lost control and fell hundreds of feet twice within a span of ten minutes (didn't touch the ground). This injured dozens of passengers onboard the flight. And had it crashed, it would have killed them all.

There was also an incident in 2003 in Belgium which was attributed to solar storms. A voting machine malfunctioned and gave a political candidate 4,096 votes which were never cast. This highlights the different ways the computers around us can malfunction and how it can affect us, creating life-threatening situations. And as the society progresses towards attaining more technological advancement, this threat will also unfortunately rise.

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First Published Date: 13 Oct, 11:48 IST
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