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What is NASA Warning About Internet?

Published in Solar Activity 2 mins read


Based on recent information, NASA is **not** warning about an "internet apocalypse" caused by solar storms.

According to reports, NASA has actively **debunked rumours** suggesting that solar storms could disrupt global internet connectivity for months on end.

## Debunking the Internet Apocalypse Rumour

While the idea of a solar storm causing a widespread, months-long internet shutdown has circulated, NASA has addressed these claims directly. Their position, as referenced, is that these rumours are unfounded.

This clarification helps to manage public concern regarding extreme space weather events and their potential impact on our technological infrastructure.

## Understanding the Potential (Unlikely) Impact

Although NASA has debunked the 'internet apocalypse' scenario, the potential impact of a severe solar storm is still a topic of scientific research and concern for critical infrastructure planners.

Here's what the reference mentions about potential impacts, despite the unlikelihood of a catastrophic, long-term global outage:

*   **Severity:** A *severe* solar storm event is considered unlikely by NASA.
*   **Economic Cost:** Should a severe event occur, its potential economic impact in the **US alone** could be as high as **$11 billion per day**. This figure highlights the significant reliance of modern economies on interconnected systems that could be affected by extreme space weather.

It's important to distinguish between debunked rumours of a total, long-term collapse and the acknowledged, albeit unlikely, potential for severe storms to cause significant, costly disruptions to specific systems.

### Key Points from the Reference

Here's a summary of the information provided:

| Topic               | NASA's Stance / Statement           | Key Detail                                  |
| :------------------ | :---------------------------------- | :------------------------------------------ |
| Internet Apocalypse | **Debunked rumours**                | Not warning about months-long disruption    |
| Severe Solar Storm  | Considered **unlikely** to occur    | Potential economic impact (US): $11bn/day |

In conclusion, NASA's stance is one of debunking exaggerated warnings about internet disruption from solar storms, while acknowledging the potential (though unlikely) for severe storms to cause significant economic impacts.

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