December 21, 2012 is only four years to the day (tomorrow) away. I know one thing for sure, there will be no sense buying Christmas gifts that year, or I guess you could have Christmas a week sooner?
I just found this article about a new hole in the magnetic field that could cripple all satellites and power grids in......you guessed it 4 years, December of 2012? Interesting, huh???
Magnetic Field Hole Could Cripple CommunicationsFriday, December 19, 2008
By Andrea Thompson
Scientists have found two large leaks in Earth's magnetosphere, the region around our planet that shields us from severe solar storms.
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The leaks are defying many of scientists' previous ideas on how the interaction between Earth's magnetosphere and solar wind occurs: The leaks are in an unexpected location, let in solar particles in faster than expected and the whole interaction works in a manner that is completely the opposite of what scientists had thought.
The findings have implications for how solar storms affect the our planet. Serious storms, which involved charged particles spewing from the sun, can disable satellites and even disrupt power grids on Earth.
The bottom line: When the next peak of solar activity comes, in about 4 years, electrical systems on Earth and satellites in space may be more vulnerable
Click here for the full story.