Ask Ethan: How vulnerable is Earth to a solar flare?
A Carrington-magnitude event would kill millions, and cause trillions of dollars in damage. Sadly, it isn’t even the worst-case scenario.
When we think of ways that the Universe can wreak havoc on Earth, we tend to think of some of the more direct catastrophes that can happen — and have happened — in our planet’s past. Asteroid and comet strikes have caused devastation and mass extinctions, and we can be certain that more are on their way. Nearby stellar cataclysms, like supernovae and tidal disruption events, could potentially irradiate or even sterilize our planet. And roving black holes remain an existential danger, as one could devour our planet without warning.
But the Sun, as steady and slowly-evolving as it is, might have an unwelcome surprise in store for us: in the form of a solar flare or a coronal mass ejection. How at-risk are we? That’s what Seth Goldin wants to know, as he asks:
“how concerned should I be for another Carrington-magnitude event?”
On a daily basis, there are worse things to worry about. But over the coming years and decades, not only is a direct hit from a catastrophic space weather event inevitable, but a Carrington-like event isn’t even the worst case scenario. Here’s what everyone should know.
