Discuss @AndyC 's latest article here
Last time it went off properly, it caused climate change so severe that it is theorised that it caused the final extinction of the Neanderthals. Nowadays, three million people live right next to it. Right in the heart of Europe.
I hope I've given you some food for thought
I think I'd prefer the 5(x) that never happened format. I may be able to do the -punks alongside, when I've got time.I, for one, enjoy the 5 x style. -punk sounds good, but I'm not convinced there's a rush to get there.
I guess it comes down to whatever you feel happiest with writing.
YES IT CERTAINLY HAS
THANKS FOR THAT
There are so many potential PoDs with hurricanes - the two I grabbed are just scratching the surface.Must admit my first thought wrt Houston was when it looked like Harvey was going to make a direct impact and flood the whole place.
I aim to please.
(The solar storm one is what keeps me up at nights, though)
Still. Probably the most beautiful way for society to end.
Eh, we can rebuild. Might have to build most shit back from the ground up, but the solar storm ain't killing people. Books exist, and so does institutional know-how and reliquary deposits. Things would be hard for the next hundred years, but it would be something to be overcome, not something to end the world.
Humanity would survive. Society in its current form would completely collapse in the absence of an electric grid if the whole thing imploded at once.
And yes, given the number of things requiring power theseadays to ensure the smooth supply of food, water and medicine, lots of people would die.
Not as many as you'd think. As much as modern society depends on electricity, a lot of critical systems like water infastructure are equipped with systems in case of power failure, and the transportation network is remarkably fault proof. All you'd need to get a truck started would be to disconnect the battery, ground the circuit, and plug in a new one from a shielded container- and bulk batteries are shipped in electrically shielded containers- and you're ready to roll. The hardest thing to replace would be computers and the actual physical infastructure of grids themselves, IMO.
The important thing is that while the human race would survive and rebuild, I'd likely die.
Also most vehicles today use some sort of electronic start-up system and computer chips regulating the engines, which might be alright but on the other hand they could well not be.
Four plus air filled rubber tires are a pretty good insulation source, so the gross volt carriers are fine. The computers may or may not be screwed, but if they are it shouldn't be hard too much work to check if they're bricked- just see if the car still can wipe the widows with the engine idling. Brakes and throttle shouldn't be tied to the computer for a lot of cars, or failing that can default to run to a straight hydraulic throttle. Most cars from before '04 should still run fine, and most American type large trucks and farm equipment too. I don't know how European stuff would handle- never been in a Scania- but I know most John Deer, International, Kubota, and Izuku vehicles would be just fine.
Does money exist any more? Are the electronic records backed up? If not, who has what? It's down to whatever paper money was out there at the time, plus barter.
Brake and throttle might not be tied to a chip for most cars, but the engine start certainly is.
'04 is 15 years ago now. The average age of a car on the UK road network is about 7 and half years. The vast majority of cars from before '04 will have been scrapped by now.
Also I think you're seriously underestimating the amount of computer technology that goes into modern farm equipment, at least assuming the stuff they're showing on Countryfile theseadays is even halfway representative.
Does money exist any more? Are the electronic records backed up? If not, who has what? It's down to whatever paper money was out there at the time, plus barter.
Any computer control of utilities (gas, electricity (which itself could be in a bit of bother, considering the description of the Carrington Event itself), water, sewage, telecomms (if the carriers can be reset, damaged areas replaced, and brought back)) - if that's fried, who's got water, sewage, heating, power?
That's if you use a key. Once you learn the tao of engines, keys are optional, and more importantly aren't actually that useful since picking a car ignition takes like ten seconds with a rake and an Allen wrench.
The thing about this sort of disaster scenario is that you need to understand what your personal needs for survival are, and then maintain systems that will operate in case you actually need them. I know all of the following because in Detroit, shit happens that means you need that information and ability, which means it's a part of my general skill set. If things work on a day to day basis that you feel not having a series of contingencies is reasonable, that's fine and dandy- don't be surprised though when the people with said skills think you're being a bit of a niny about the affair though.
Which means that China, much of Russia, India, Indonesia, Australia, South America (in this example) would be comparatively untouched (international supply chains collapsing would affect them, but nothing like the ground zero effects in Europe and North America). What would they do next?