Magnetic Storm

It bursts from the sun with the power of 10,000 nuclear weapons and when it hits our planet it could create the largest disaster in recorded history.

Coronal Mass Ejections - When these blast through the sun's outer atmosphere and plow toward Earth at speeds of thousands of miles per second, the resulting effects can be harmful to communication satellites and astronauts outside the Earth's magnetosphere. On the ground, the magnetic storm wrought by these solar particles can knock out electric power. A better understanding of this solar activity could give people on Earth more time to prepare by placing satellites in a safe configuration, planning the best time for astronaut space walks or rocket launches, and implementing contingency plans to deal with any power outages.

A magnetic storm from the sun could wipe out electrical power and nearly every piece of electronics in the Northern Hemisphere. It's a planet-wide hurricane of magnetic forces that scramble all 21st Century technology, possibly for good. What causes this magnetic superstorm? Why is magnetism so powerful and yet so poorly understood? And is there anything we can do to prevent the Magnetic Storm?