The Northern Lights are a beautiful sight, but they can also be dangerous. The sun can send out a powerful burst of energy called a coronal mass ejection (CME). This CME can hit Earth and cause a lot of damage, including disrupting our internet system for weeks or even months. It could also cause an economic disruption of up to $20 billion per day in the United States alone.
The US Navy has allocated a substantial $13.6 million grant for a collaborative effort with George Mason University to establish an early warning system
A CME can disrupt our magnetic field and cause electrical currents to flow through the ground. This can fry our electronics, including our computers and cell phones. It can also damage our power grid and our satellites.
The last time a CME hit Earth was in 1859. It took out the telegraph system and caused sparks to fly off the wires. Some operators were even electrocuted.
Today, our electronics are much more fragile than the telegraph wires of the 1800s. A CME could fry our entire internet system for weeks or even months. It could also cause an economic disruption of up to $20 billion per day in the United States (US) alone.
The sun is currently in a period of increased activity. This means that there is a higher chance of a CME hitting Earth in the next decade.
Scientists are working on ways to predict CMEs and to protect our electronics from them. They are also working on ways to harden our internet system so that it is more resistant to damage.
