Intense solar flares could cause internet blackouts late 2024

Aurora Borealis, commonly known as the Northern Lights, is a well sought out solar event, visible at night near the Artic and Antartic circles. There are few places in the U.S. where the display is visible, and it is only in the Northernmost parts where the miserable cold is unwelcoming to travelers. Yet in 2024, it is predicted that there is a chance to witness them in southern states, but it could cost something.

Every 11 years, the sun completes its solar cycle and ends in its most heightened period called the “Solar Maximum.” The solar maximum would cause amplified solar flares and radiation near the earth’s atmosphere. This could be a once in a lifetime experience to be able to see the vibrant Northern lights in unexpected places, and for far longer durations than normal. Despite that, researchers are understandably concerned about this solar storm.

As also predicted by many tech companies, this solar storm has the potential to wipe out the internet, fry satellites, cause radio blackouts, and damage electrical infrastructure. This is not just any Solar Maximum though, researchers predict that this year, it will be more severe than most normal events. 

This has happened before, a severe geomagnetic storm struck earth in March of 1989 and resulted in all the telephone lines being fried, temporarily halting communication. Now in 1989 that might not have been a big deal, but now with more advanced and integrated technology in our day-to-day lives, this could cause a lot of issues. The aura events would cause the electricity to surge, frying the entire power grid. Everything running on electricity would no longer function, additionally, the wifi and internet would go out. There would be no air conditioning, communication, power, and possibly transportation.

Regardless, this is just a prediction, and researchers are working hard to find a way to predict the solar events beforehand in order to prevent total blackouts from occurring. However, news of this “internet blackout” has highlighted concern about the electrical infrastructure of society and our reliance on technology and electricity. If the entire world’s power grid shut off, we would all be lost in the dark.