What would you do if the internet stopped working?
Scientists are saying that 'solar storms' may leave us without internet for weeks, if not months...
Just reading that headline gives many people anxiety.
Not to sound like an internet addict, but if you think about the ways in which the internet has evolved our level of communication with one another, it has certainly made us feel somewhat closer to one another as a community.
People who live far away from one another rely on the internet to help them stay connected with family and friends, people who trade on the stock market require an internet connection for their line of intense work, and everyone we know relies on some form of the internet.
It's safe to say that we all have transcended into a life with the internet.
But what happens to us then if something threatens that life? We're not sure.
An article on BBC shared great concern over solar storms causing a crippling effect on Earth's communications.
"The Sun is a star, a seething mass of electrified hydrogen. As this fluid moves around, it builds up energy within its complex magnetic field. This magnetic energy is released through intense flashes of light known as solar flares and through vast eruptions of material and magnetic fields known as coronal mass ejections or solar storms. While flares can disrupt radio communication on Earth, solar storms pose the greatest threat." (BBC)
Read more: Can you go a day without social media?
Scientists are fairly certain that the next time we experience a solar storm, the effects may be far more serious than the previous times.
They are working on looking for clues or triggers that cause these eruptions, but that could mean we are all sitting ducks in this scenario.
It seems the only way forward is for the sun to be closely monitored. Sounds like a scorching job...
For more from East Coast Radio
"Phones, computers, GPS systems, satellites, and power grids are all vulnerable, potentially causing a prolonged internet outage lasting weeks to months, resulting in a significant disruption to global connectivity." (Instagram)
What kind of world would we be a part of without the internet? Have you ever actually thought about that?
It's surely given us something to ponder on...
Image Courtesy of iStock/Jpkirakun