Just a Minor Sun Explosion
Summary
Host Ben Bradford explores the 1859 Carrington Event, a massive solar storm that disrupted early telegraphs, and assesses the risk to modern infrastructure. With experts Jim Green and Elizabeth Butler, the episode details how coronal mass ejections could cripple today’s power grids and satellites. While mitigation strategies like shutting down grids exist, the episode highlights significant gaps in preparedness and regulatory inertia, leaving civilization vulnerable to a potentially catastrophic recurrence.
Topics discussed
Introduction: The Carrington Event of 1859
How Solar Storms Work: Magnetic Snaps and Geomagnetic Storms
Historical Solar Storms: 1921, WWII, and the Cold War
The 1989 Quebec Blackout and Modern Vulnerability
Space Weather Prediction and the Challenge of Warning Times
Estimating Carrington's Power Using Historical Aurora Records
Worst-Case Scenario: Global Infrastructure Collapse
2024 Solar Storm Exercise and Real-World Response
Preparedness Gaps: Cost, Regulation, and the 'Off Button'
Conclusion: Doom Meter Rating and Credits
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