Subnostr

Seems like few people are aware that the intensity and low latitude display of the Aurora Borealis, is actually the result of a near-miss by Earth from what was another potential Carrington Event from the Sun.

The sun had a massive eruption that was luckily on the far side of the Sun from us. Had it been pointed towards Earth, we may have found ourselves in the midst of an unprecedented global crisis, with satellites in orbit burned out by intense radiation, electrical power grids knocked offline by overheated transmission lines, and potential serious damage to global communications infrastructure, which could have knocked wide-swaths of the internet and mobile communication systems offline for weeks or months.

We were literally spared a serious catastrophe by random chance.

Chris Tavrou 2y ago

We're so desensitised by now by the pandemic, wars, inflation, politics, rampant pedophilia, culture wars, and all the other shitfuckery that's going on that, unless it happens, a there's no room to worry about another potential Carrington event

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Discussion

Mike Brock 2y ago

I would argue there always should be room for people to worry about existential threats. Worrying about the culture wars over the threat of a solar eruption sending us back to the Stone Age, seems like a pretty dramatic failure of risk-benefit analysis to me.

Chris Tavrou 2y ago

A nuclear bomb may be dropped on my city tomorrow. I've come to the realisation that I can't spend my life worrying about things that are out of my control

Mike Brock 2y ago

I mean, you listed a lot of concerns that you have, that I'd argue you have no more control over than the topic I brought up.

Sikto 2y ago

I’m going ice fishing tomorrow. I’m worried about whether I catch my supper.

Himel 2y ago

😎

Mike Brock 2y ago

I definitely think that's a legitimate proximate concern for you.

Sikto 2y ago

😁