Dodging space bullets

The February 2011 issue of Sky & Telescope has an article on solar storms and what they can do to our infrastructure (see attached). This is an interesting article because it reminds us of how vulnerable we are to space events that are totally out of our control and that are usually not on our radar until they actually happen. A perfect “solar superstorm” which may last only for a few days is estimated to costs the US $1 – 2 trillion just in the first year following the storm, with 4 to 10 years needed for a full recovery. Oh boy! And I thought our main worry was an invasion from Mars!

For further reading, please visit also the 2008 Workshop Report on Severe Space Weather Events.