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A “perfect coronal mass ejection” could be a nightmare

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Re: A “perfect coronal mass ejection” could be a nightmare

#51

Post by podgaj »

vmception wrote: post #38
kadoban wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're saying that in the event of a worldwide, extended loss of power and communications, the currency you'll use will be the one that only exists, in any useful form, on a worldwide communications network, using loads of power? What am I missing?

you are missing that: a) an immediate steep drop in difficult will allow the network to resolve transactions without loads of power, and the few nodes online will still comprise the network. some networks have much longer difficulty adjustment periods and they will be debilitated for months as blocks will not come, other networks have much shorter adjustment periods and will generate new blocks in minutes b) that tra…

It’s delusions like this that lead me to believe cryptocurrency is a cult.

Re: A “perfect coronal mass ejection” could be a nightmare

#53

Post by orthoxerox »

throwawaysea wrote: post #40

Depending solely on electricity is a bad idea. In a past weather event that lead to a power loss for nearly two weeks, everyone I knew was thankful to have piped natural gas. I am not sure I trust electric cars and fully electric homes to be sufficiently redundant.

I wonder if the gas pipeline with all its pumping stations is completely self-powered or it is dependent on the power grid.

Re: A “perfect coronal mass ejection” could be a nightmare

#54

Post by amelius »

bserge wrote: post #48
1cvmask wrote: post #2

It would be interesting to model the way different societies would deal with such an event. Some presumably would have a run on toilet paper and other essentials. Other societies might ration resources on a need basis.

Toilet paper hoarding in these scenarios is always funny. Look, you're not going to be flushing precious water down the toilet (if sewage even works), you will be shitting in a hole somewhere outside. In which case any paper, rags or big leaves will do just fine :D

Didn't Apple make it completely obvious that people will do everything for only a tiny bit more convenience? Anyone owning toilet paper in an apocalyptic world will be king!

Re: A “perfect coronal mass ejection” could be a nightmare

#55

Post by tremon »

LeoPanthera wrote: post #8
sci_prog wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How about the effect on all the satellites? I think th Carrington event size one would be catastrophic in the modern day. Imagine large urban areas going losing power for days or weeks. No electricity and no running water. Pretty scary stuff.

The loss of satellites does not imply power outages and it especially does not imply no running water. I'm not saying it wouldn't be disruptive, but people seem to have a fetish for disaster. Society is resilient, and life would return to near-normal within weeks, if not days, I predict.

Not directly, no. But the water plants do require electricity to pump/filter/sanitize water to fill their reservoirs. A prolonged outage will cause the clean-water reservoirs to drain empty.

Re: A “perfect coronal mass ejection” could be a nightmare

#57

Post by f6v »

zupa-hu wrote: post #50

I don't really get the "nightmare" consequences. Sure, some electric systems will go down / maybe burn down. But few people will die, right? When I saw nightmare in the title, I expected something like humanity will be wiped out, or maybe just 90% of us. Can somebody clarify?

I guess anyone on life support would die swiftly.

Re: A “perfect coronal mass ejection” could be a nightmare

#58

Post by f6v »

podgaj wrote: post #52

Knowing the high probability of this, I’m curious how everyone will change their day today.

The European Commission will first deny that any measures are necessary. Then when it’s too late they’ll keep saying they’re “on schedule”.

Re: A “perfect coronal mass ejection” could be a nightmare

#59

Post by f6v »

amelius wrote: post #54
bserge wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Toilet paper hoarding in these scenarios is always funny. Look, you're not going to be flushing precious water down the toilet (if sewage even works), you will be shitting in a hole somewhere outside. In which case any paper, rags or big leaves will do just fine :D

Didn't Apple make it completely obvious that people will do everything for only a tiny bit more convenience? Anyone owning toilet paper in an apocalyptic world will be king!

Are you referring to the TV show?

Re: A “perfect coronal mass ejection” could be a nightmare

#60

Post by codeulike »

zupa-hu wrote: post #50

I don't really get the "nightmare" consequences. Sure, some electric systems will go down / maybe burn down. But few people will die, right? When I saw nightmare in the title, I expected something like humanity will be wiped out, or maybe just 90% of us. Can somebody clarify?

I think the often cited problem is that if a national electricity grid goes down, its a very long and complex job to get them back up again, especially if transformers are damaged.
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