When a major solar storm hit in 1859, "telegraph systems worldwide went haywire." Here's what to know if such an event were to hit today – and how likely it is to happen.
That’s because of coronal mass ejections, the paper says, which can create magnetically induced currents that at significant strengths could potentially “enter and damage long-distance cables that constitute the backbone of the internet.”
Glass in fiber optic cables doesn’t carry electrical power.
It may cause power fluctuations in the electrical grid. If that grid fails to deliver the right power, data centers can switch to generator backup.
Glass in fiber optic cables doesn’t carry electrical power.
It may cause power fluctuations in the electrical grid. If that grid fails to deliver the right power, data centers can switch to generator backup.