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Science Weekly

What could a severe solar storm do to Earth, and are we prepared?

Science Weekly

The Guardian

Science

4.21K Ratings

🗓️ 26 March 2024

⏱️ 15 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The sun is currently ramping up to hit the peak of its 11-year activity cycle. In the past few days, powerful solar eruptions have sent a stream of particles towards Earth which are set to produce spectacular auroras in both hemispheres. But these kinds of geomagnetic storms can also have less appealing consequences. Madeleine Finlay speaks to Dr Lisa Upton, a solar scientist at the Southwest Research Institute, about how the mysterious inner workings of the sun create space weather, how solar events can significantly disrupt Earth’s infrastructure, and whether we are prepared for the worst-case scenario. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod

Transcript

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0:00.0

This is the Guardian.

0:05.0

In Norway, a woman's boyfriend forgets who she is overnight.

0:12.0

In Detroit, a man is is arrested but he was never at the crime scene.

0:16.0

In Spain disturbing pictures of young girls have appeared and no one knows who's behind them.

0:22.0

Something strange is happening.

0:24.0

A collision between people and artificial intelligence.

0:28.0

Discover more in the Guardian's new series Black Box.

0:32.0

Listen wherever you get your podcasts. All episodes out now.

0:37.0

Over the past few days there have been urgent storm warnings issued across the globe.

0:45.9

Except these aren't your average kind of storms.

0:49.4

Right now the Earth is on a geomagnetic storm watch through the end of the day.

0:54.3

Space weather forecaster say an outburst of plasma from a solar flare could interfere

1:00.3

with radio transmissions on Earth. interfere with light shows or what we in the UK would call the Northern Lights.

1:15.0

Aurora are caused by streams of particles colliding with Earth's atmosphere.

1:21.0

Electrically charged particles are caught in the Earth's magnetic field

1:26.0

and directed towards the north and south poles.

1:29.0

As the particles crash into the atmosphere,

1:32.0

they hit atmospheric atoms, causing them the particles

1:33.2

causing them to heat and glow. And depending on what kind of atom it is,

1:38.5

oxygen or nitrogen say they'll shine in different colours.

1:43.0

And this glow is what is known as the aurora,

1:45.2

or these beautiful dancing lights

...

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