By: Graciella Gizelda Tjioe
Will global warming keep growing? Will the sun kill earth? Will the world end? What’s happening? The Solar Storm. There are many theories that the storm that we said will end the world is going to come here in 2025. Many articles say that it will come this year, and there will be many countless problems. One that people worry about a lot are the satellite disruptions. Why? Because it will cut off the WHOLE world’s internet for a few months. However, not only the internet will be cut off, but also anything depending on the world’s satellites — Electric cars and homes, AC, basically everything. Hopefully it isn’t true, but if it is, what can we do?
Solar storms have attracted curiosity for centuries and articles like earth.com say that the next big solar storm could plunge the whole world into darkness. It’s scary to think about, really, but what can we do about it? Other websites say they see a “hole” in the sun — the solar storm happening early February, the sun releasing strong solar flares, etc. All of these were published in the past 3 days, making it seem believable that the solar storm may actually happen. Additionally, this is all just speculation and opinion — this may fortunately not happen at all.
However, what may occur if the solar storm does happen? If a solar storm occurs, the first impacts would likely be disruptions to satellite communications, GPS, and power grids, potentially shutting down the internet and leaving large areas without power. Air travel could also be affected due to radiation risks, and astronauts in space might face serious danger. While Earth’s atmosphere protects us from the worst effects, scientists are closely monitoring solar activity. Though recovery from such a storm would be difficult, ongoing improvements in technology and space weather preparedness may help minimize the worst consequences. Still, the unpredictability of solar storms makes them a significant concern.
If such a solar storm were to actually occur, we are said to be prepared for power outages by having backup power sources — generators, extra batteries, and essential supplies such as water or food. Electronics may still be available by using surge projectors and having manual backups of important data. What people worry about is communication, and having battery-powered radios would be slightly more useful to stay in touch with family and friends. Additionally, supporting efforts to strengthen satellite systems and power grids to be more resilient to space weather could reduce the overall impact as well. While we can’t control the solar storm itself if it were to happen, proactive measures and ongoing advancements in technology and infrastructure can help us recover faster and reduce the damage caused.
The solar storm is said to last for a few months, but may go to years if it gets worse. Vehicles are not mentioned a lot, but it is also said that if the solar storm becomes outrageous, cars could not even work. Though, there is a low chance for such a horrifying thing to happen.
Overall, talking about the solar storm is definitely scary, it scares even me, who is writing about this right now. We will always have to be prepared for whatever comes, and hopefully, this “solar storm” will never happen — if it does, then we’ll face it together, relying on our collective knowledge and preparedness. While the threat of a solar storm may feel overwhelming, it also pushes us to advance, to be ready for anything the universe might throw our way. The best we can do is stay informed, stay resilient, and hope that we never have to experience the full force of its impact.
Bibliography :
Carter, Jamie. “Northern Lights: U.S. May See Weekend Aurora after “Hole” on the Sun.” Forbes, 31 Jan. 2025, www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2025/01/31/northern-lights-us-may-see-weekend-aurora-after-hole-on-the-sun/.
NASA. “National Aeronautics and Space Administration.” NASA, NASA, www.nasa.gov/.
“Next Big Solar Storm Could Plunge the World into Darkness.” Earth.com, 2025, www.earth.com/news/the-next-big-solar-storm-could-plunge-us-into-darkness/. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
“Solar Storms | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.” Noaa.gov, 29 Oct. 2024, www.noaa.gov/topic-tags/solar-storms. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
Speck, Emilee. “Giant Hole in the Sun Could Trigger Solar Storms in Early February.” FOX Weather, Fox Weather, 28 Jan. 2025, www.foxweather.com/earth-space/giant-hole-sun-coronal-hole-solar-storms. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
“Sun Releases Strong Solar Flare – Solar Cycle 25.” Nasa.gov, 3 Jan. 2025, blogs.nasa.gov/solarcycle25/2025/01/03/sun-releases-strong-solar-flare-20/. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
US Department of Commerce, NOAA. “During an Extreme Solar Event.” Www.weather.gov, www.weather.gov/safety/space-during.