International

How a solar storm could plunge society into chaos and sever the digital web

Sunday, 16 November 2025 5:02AM UTC

Recent local power surges and a massive solar flare highlight society’s fragile dependence on digital infrastructure, raising fears of catastrophic disruptions akin to the historic Carrington Event that could cripple modern life.

An explosion resembling a bomb rocked windows and plunged a Bristol neighbourhood into darkness during a thunderstorm, with lightning striking and damaging a TV aerial. More significantly, an electrical surge fried internet modems and routers in over a dozen homes, leaving one family without internet for four days. This real-life disruption underscores just how dependent modern society is on electronic data transmission, relying on the internet not only for communication but also for everyday comforts like heating and music systems. Shortly after this local blackout, a global outage struck Amazon’s cloud services, affecting banking platforms such as Lloyds and Halifax, social media apps like Snapchat and Reddit, and even Amazon’s own smart devices such as Alexa and Ring doorbells. These incidents highlight the fragility of digital infrastructure in the 21st century.

Beyond personal inconvenience, the economic impact of disruptions to digital infrastructure can be severe. Last year, British companies Marks & Spencer and Jaguar Land Rover suffered major ransomware attacks that crippled their online operations and supply chains. M&S experienced blocked online sales for weeks, costing around £300 million, while Jaguar Land Rover’s five-week shutdown of production lines inflicted an estimated £1.9 billion loss on the British economy. The car manufacturer recently reported that profits turned into a significant loss, including £196 million in cyber-related costs, underscoring the vulnerability of critical industries to cyber threats.

However, a catastrophic global outage might not solely stem from cyberattacks. Experts warn that a natural event, specifically a massive solar flare and its associated coronal mass ejection (CME), could trigger a more devastating scenario. On a recent Tuesday, the Sun emitted a powerful X5.1-class solar flare, the largest in over a year, which propelled a CME toward Earth at 3,000 miles per second. Solar flares are categorised from A to X, with X representing the most powerful, and fractional increments indicate increasing intensity. This flare caused radio blackouts in Europe and Africa and was accompanied by what scientists call a ground-level enhancement, where solar particles reached the Earth’s surface , a rare occurrence.

Historical precedent for such events comes from the Carrington Event of 1859, which caused telegraph systems across Europe and North America to fail, sparking fires and electrical shocks. If a similar or more powerful event were to occur today, the impact could be catastrophic given society's dependence on electricity and digital technology.

Scientists and cybersecurity experts imagine a worst-case scenario unfolding rapidly in the event of an extreme solar storm. Within moments, satellites would be knocked out, crippling mobile phone, GPS, and military communication systems. The International Space Station’s circuits could fail catastrophically, with tragic consequences for its occupants. On Earth, electrical surges would fry appliances and devices, power grids like the National Grid would fail, and traffic systems would collapse, leading to widespread accidents. Emergency services would be overwhelmed or rendered inoperable due to communication failures. Fires would rage unchecked as firefighting coordination collapses, while aviation would face mid-air collisions caused by non-functional instruments.

Initial geopolitical fallout might include Russia and China leveraging their national intranets to maintain limited communications and portraying Western failure as societal collapse. Meanwhile in Britain, the military and police would have to impose order amid looting and chaos, with essential services like hospitals struggling to function under backup power only, cancelling surgeries, and managing burn and smoke inhalation injuries. Key infrastructure such as supply chains, fuel deliveries, and water distribution would falter or fail, pushing society into an almost medieval state. Those accustomed to pre-internet life would adapt better, whereas younger generations, heavily reliant on social media and digital interfaces, would be particularly disoriented and distressed.

Longer term, attempts to restore internet service would be complicated by the loss of cloud data centres and critical infrastructure, with governments vulnerable to cyberattacks from criminals and hostile states exploiting the situation to further their aims. Food shortages, power outages, outbreaks of disease, and mass casualties could create a national emergency of unprecedented scale, driven initially by a single natural disaster impacting an electronic network as fragile as a cobweb.

This scenario is underscored by ongoing solar activity. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and space weather experts have issued geomagnetic storm watches due to continuing solar flare activity associated with the sun’s 11-year magnetic cycle, now approaching its peak expected around 2025. Satellite communication and navigation systems face periodic disruptions; Starlink, a major satellite internet provider, has already reported degraded service amidst the most significant geomagnetic storm in two decades. Yet, despite these warnings and minor interruptions, the overall risk to the general public remains low at present.

However, experts caution that a larger-scale event remains a possibility. The economic and societal costs of a storm comparable to the historic Carrington Event could reach nearly $2 trillion in the U.S. alone, potentially leaving 20 to 40 million people without power for weeks or even years and crippling critical infrastructure including telecommunications, banking, and energy grids. With society’s deepening digital dependencies, the need for robust warning systems and resilient infrastructure to mitigate the impact of extreme space weather is increasingly urgent.

In light of recent localized outages and global solar activity, the question remains: how prepared are nations to face a scenario where the delicate digital web underpinning modern life is severed by forces beyond human control?

📌 Reference Map:

^[1] Daily Mail - Paragraphs 1-18, 20-27
^[2] AP News - Paragraph 19
^[3] AP News - Paragraph 19
^[4] Reuters - Paragraph 19
^[5] Reuters - Paragraph 19
^[6] NOAA NESDIS - Paragraph 19
^[7] AP News - Paragraph 19

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15294743/What-happens-solar-flare-destroys-National-Grid-internet.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://apnews.com/article/73fc7ecffaff88fbfaea51aa82025217 - A solar flare has caused a burst of plasma, leading to a geomagnetic storm watch through Monday, as reported by NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, Colorado. This storm may interfere with high-frequency radio communications, particularly for aircraft, but switching to satellite transmission can mitigate the impact. Satellite operators and power grids might also experience minor issues. The storm could create favorable conditions for viewing auroras, especially in high-latitude regions. This event is part of the solar maximum phase of the sun's 11-year magnetic cycle, during which such geomagnetic storms are more frequent. The situation is not considered dangerous for the general public.
https://apnews.com/article/eb3389b4e41955c3292b9c917a5667dc - A significant solar flare, the largest since 2017, was captured by a NASA telescope and temporarily disrupted radio communications on Earth. The flare, accompanied by an extensive radio burst, caused two hours of interference in parts of the U.S. and other sunlit regions globally. NOAA scientists reported that the flare generated one of the largest solar radio events recorded. Pilots experienced widespread communication issues. Observations are ongoing to monitor the associated sunspot for potential coronal mass ejections, which could lead to geomagnetic storms and auroras. The Solar Dynamics Observatory, launched in 2010 and orbiting Earth, recorded the event in ultraviolet light. The solar cycle is approaching its peak, expected in 2025.
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/pjm-issues-geomagnetic-disturbance-warning-flags-limited-risk-grid-2024-10-10/ - PJM Interconnection, the largest power grid operator in the U.S., has issued a geomagnetic disturbance warning that is expected to last until October 11, 2 a.m. Eastern Time. These disturbances, which stem from solar activity, are rare events that can disrupt grid operations. Despite the warning triggered by a North American Electric Reliability Corp notice based on information from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, PJM does not anticipate significant impacts or emergency conditions. They are working in coordination with generation and transmission owners, as well as neighboring grid operators, to manage the situation effectively.
https://www.reuters.com/technology/space/starlink-experiencing-degraded-service-musk-says-satellites-under-pressure-2024-05-11/ - Starlink, a subsidiary of Elon Musk's SpaceX, has warned of "degraded service" due to the largest geomagnetic storm in two decades, caused by increased solar activity. This storm has affected Earth's magnetosphere, posing risks to satellite navigation systems, power grids, and other services. Starlink, which owns about 60% of the 7,500 satellites in Earth's orbit and is a major player in satellite internet, is experiencing pressure on its satellites but they are currently holding up. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has noted that this storm, the most significant since October 2003, is expected to continue throughout the weekend. The Starlink network uses inter-satellite laser links to transmit data at the speed of light, providing global internet coverage.
https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/content/when-solar-storms-attack-space-weather-and-our-infrastructure - Solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) can have a devastating impact on our economy, health and safety, and national security. Auroral events can cause strong electrical currents to be driven across the surface of Earth, disrupting electrical power grids, like the Hydro-Québec's electricity transmission system, and can contribute to the corrosion of oil and gas pipelines. Streams of charged particles during geomagnetic storms can create changes in the ionosphere that can disrupt the use of high-frequency radios used for search and rescue, the Global Positioning System (GPS), and even ground/air communications within the aviation industry. The largest geomagnetic storm in recorded history, dubbed the 1859 Carrington Event, created an aurora so bright that people in the northeastern U.S. could use it to read the newspaper at night. The storm crippled a large portion of the telegraph system at the time, with operators reporting fires created from sparking equipment. At the time the events were noted as an oddity, however would have a much more severe impact on today’s technologically driven society. According to the National Academies of Sciences, a solar storm of this magnitude today has the potential to cost nearly $2 trillion, disrupting telecommunications, banking systems, GPS, and the energy grid. The estimated total U.S. population at risk of an extended power outage from a Carrington-level storm is between 20-40 million, with durations of 16 days to 1-2 years. Because of these and many more potentially devastating effects, NOAA is working hard to improve our advanced warning system for solar storms and potentially dangerous space weather events.
https://apnews.com/article/eb7fabd1dfbd734a398192bf4c701ca5 - The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts another solar storm on Sunday, following a powerful solar storm on Saturday. These solar storms, caused by coronal mass ejections, can disrupt power grids, communication systems, and GPS signals but also result in spectacular auroras. Saturday's storm, while visually stunning and resulting in the Northern Lights being visible in unusual locations like Florida, caused only minor disruptions. SpaceX's Starlink reported some service degradation. NOAA issued a severe geomagnetic storm warning and advised power plants and spacecraft operators to take precautions. The sun has been producing strong solar flares, linked to a large sunspot, as it nears the peak of its 11-year cycle. However, no major impacts to power or communication systems have been reported so far.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 7

Notes: The narrative presents a recent event involving a Bristol neighbourhood blackout during a thunderstorm, leading to internet outages. This incident is used to segue into a discussion about the potential impacts of a massive solar flare on modern infrastructure. The article references a recent X5.1-class solar flare, the largest in over a year, which occurred on a recent Tuesday. However, the exact date of this event is not specified, making it challenging to assess the freshness of the content. The article also includes historical context, such as the Carrington Event of 1859, which is well-documented. The inclusion of updated data about the recent solar flare may justify a higher freshness score, but the lack of specific dates and the recycling of older material warrant a flag. Additionally, the article includes references to other sources, such as AP News and Reuters, indicating that some content may have been republished across multiple outlets. This raises concerns about the originality of the narrative. The presence of a press release may also contribute to the recycled nature of the content. Overall, the freshness score is moderate due to the mix of recent and recycled information.

Quotes check

Score: 6

Notes: The article includes direct quotes from experts and historical accounts. However, without specific citations or dates, it's difficult to verify the originality of these quotes. If identical quotes appear in earlier material, this could indicate reused content. The lack of verifiable sources for these quotes raises concerns about their authenticity. The absence of online matches for some quotes suggests they may be original or exclusive content, but this cannot be confirmed without further information.

Source reliability

Score: 5

Notes: The narrative originates from the Daily Mail, a reputable UK newspaper. However, the article includes references to other sources, such as AP News and Reuters, which may have been republished across multiple outlets. This raises concerns about the originality and reliability of the content. The presence of a press release may also contribute to the recycled nature of the content. Overall, the source reliability score is moderate due to the mix of reputable and potentially recycled information.

Plausability check

Score: 8

Notes: The article discusses the potential impacts of a massive solar flare on modern infrastructure, referencing historical events like the Carrington Event of 1859 and the recent X5.1-class solar flare. The claims about the potential economic impact of a solar storm are supported by studies estimating damages between $0.6 and $2.6 trillion in the U.S. alone. The narrative also aligns with scientific understanding of solar storms and their potential effects on electrical grids and communication systems. However, the lack of specific dates and verifiable sources for some claims raises questions about the accuracy of certain details. Overall, the plausibility score is high, but the absence of specific citations and dates warrants caution.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM

Summary: The narrative presents a mix of recent and recycled information, with references to historical events and recent solar flare activity. The inclusion of updated data about the recent solar flare may justify a higher freshness score, but the lack of specific dates and the recycling of older material warrant a flag. The presence of a press release may also contribute to the recycled nature of the content. The source reliability score is moderate due to the mix of reputable and potentially recycled information. The plausibility score is high, but the absence of specific citations and dates raises questions about the accuracy of certain details. Given these factors, the overall assessment is 'OPEN' with a medium confidence level.

solar flare
cybersecurity
infrastructure resilience