Social media has been buzzing for the past few days because of the solar superstorm that is said to “wipe out the internet” for weeks and even months. Social media pages and accounts have shared that there will be a solar superstorm on November 24, 2023. However, it is fake news.
Yes, you read that right; There is no substantial evidence that can support the claims about it.
What is a Solar Superstorm?
According to reports, a solar superstorm happens when the sun emits powerful solar flares. Moreover, the excessive flares can stun our world and shut down our internet connection.
In a report by Fox Weather, the US is now crafting an early warning system that can detect solar activities. The early warning system project is led by Peter Becker, a professor at George Mason University.
Becker and his team are collaborating with the United States Department of Navy. Moreover, the project was granted P753.13 million in federal funds to research more on the solar activity that can lead to what they call an “internet apocalypse.” During this so-called apocalypse, electronic and satellite communications will stop working.
When did the idea of a solar superstorm start? Becker deduces that it could have been from the increase of solar flares. According to him, they can tell when the large explosion of plasma and magnetic field called CME will be heading to Earth. Because of that, there is an 18-hour to 24-hour warning period.
Furthermore, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the US says that the maximum of the solar cycle now will happen between January and October 2024.
A solar superstorm also happened years prior. Notably, in the 1859 Carrington Event, Becker said that a CME “totally wiped out the telegraph system.” The telegram system was down for a whole week.
Moreover, a solar storm also occurred in Quebec, Canada, in 1989, which caused a 12-hour blackout.
According to NASA, if a solar storm does happen, it will lead to even greater damages, such as widespread electrical disruptions, persistent blackouts, and interruptions to global communication.
As Mark Miesch of NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center stated, other effects would be interference with the electrical grid, degraded GPS signals, increased orbital drag on satellites, and radiation hazards to airline cruise and astronauts.
