Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Modern technology’s interconnectedness makes global economies vulnerable to solar storms, where disruptions in one region can cascade across continents, affecting banking, logistics, and communication.
Countries with outdated power systems, especially in parts of Europe and Asia, are at higher risk due to insufficient safeguards against geomagnetic currents.
Power grids, essential to modern life, are highly susceptible to geomagnetic storms. Transformers can fail, and large-scale damage could leave millions in darkness for months.
Satellites, key to navigation, finance, and internet services, are at risk of malfunction or being knocked out of orbit during solar storms, disrupting critical systems worldwide.
In 2022, a geomagnetic storm caused atmospheric drag that destroyed 40 Starlink satellites, highlighting the fragility of satellite networks to space weather.
The 1859 Carrington Event caused telegraph fires, and the 1989 Quebec blackout left millions without power, proving the devastating potential of solar storms.
NASA, NOAA, and ESA monitor solar activity through spacecraft like SOHO and Parker Solar Probe, providing early warnings to mitigate geomagnetic storm risks.
Experts suggest creating an international organization for solar storm preparedness, akin to the WHO, to establish global protocols for mitigation.
Upgrading power grids, fortifying satellite systems, and fostering global collaboration are critical to ensuring resilience in an increasingly tech-dependent world.
Representative pic