Extreme Space Weather Could Spark Panic, Unrest, and Misinformation
Space.com reports a UK STFC study on a Carrington-scale space weather event, warning that such an extreme solar storm could knock out satellites, GPS, and power grids while also triggering panic buying, public disorder, and the rapid spread of conspiracy theories among a population with limited space-weather literacy. The piece emphasizes the need to bolster infrastructure resilience and improve public understanding to mitigate social disruption when technology and behavior intersect during severe space weather, an event estimated to occur roughly once every 100–200 years.
