Solar Flares
The Threat
The American Geophysical Union predicts that blackouts caused by a solar flare could affect nearly two-thirds of the U.S. population causing $41.5 billion a day.
If a large solar flare were to hit the Earth, it could knock out internet, communications, satellites, or even bring down the entire electric grid.
A beautifully animated, easily understood video explanation of the risk we face from the largest solar flares. NASA has estimated a 12% probability each decade, or 50% in 50 years. This is a risk we are completely unprepared for and which would have devastating consequences for civilization.
Not IF, but WHEN
As time continues on and as different methods of research advance, evidence of past solar flares are arising. In 2012 it was discovered that a solar storm occurred in 774-775 CE, 5259 BCE and 7176 BCE through analysis of tree rings. This newfound research and awareness only serves to show the prevalence of such solar flares and storms.
Over the past 12,400 years, only 16.5% of those years have been analyzed; the discoveries of past solar flares could be far greater than imagined as further analyzation continues.