ELI5: Can solar winds really destroy the electical grid?

r/

Why is this and would it be a big catastrophy to humanity?

Comments

  1. flying_wrenches Avatar

    Technically yes, but in reality, no.

    The real threat is from solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CME)..

    An example to help would be “can I be blown over by ___” with solar wind, solar flares, and CMEs. You being blown over is a computer being seriously damaged

    Solar wind is a light breeze, some times slightly stronger. But not too strong. It’s very unlikely but technically it could.

    A solar flare is like a semi passing by, lot of wind that could do something if it’s strong enough (or the truck big enough)

    A CME is a large jet engine.

    The last great example
    Still talked about today is the carrington event. It was a storm so strong that telegraph lines were shocking their operators and had electricity despite being unplugged.