logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2014
20m 42s

Could a solar flare destroy civilization...

iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

What would you do if you woke up one day and found yourself in a world without electricity, cellphones or the internet? It sounds like the plot of a science fiction film, but if a powerful enough solar flare hits Earth's magnetosphere this could become a frightening reality. Join Matt and Ben as they explore the likelihood of a solar apocalypse.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Yesterday
The Raymond Allen Davis Incident
It's an open secret that not everything is as it seems in the world of diplomacy -- a great many individuals operate with some degree of subterfuge and invisibility. So what happens when things go wrong, and these often disturbing, unseen things become visible? Tonight's story ta ... Show More
1h 16m
Jul 8
CLASSIC: The Surprisingly Unboring Story of Farm Subsidies
Make no mistake -- being a farmer is hard work. Farming outfits often have to carry a huge amount of risk from one season to the next, and any number of things may ruin their prospects, from unexpected weather, market volatility and so on. To mitigate these dangers, world governm ... Show More
1h 3m
Jul 7
Strange News: Tuvalu is Drowning, Chinese EVs, Eating Cheese and More
Australia is astonished as a full one-third of all residents of Tuvalu apply for the new, limited 'climate visa,' sparking concerns about the future of islands nations amid the global sea level rising. Chinese manufacturers are in hot water over an international scheme to flood m ... Show More
52m 55s
Recommended Episodes
May 2012
What is the future of Earth?
What will the Earth be like in 5,000 or 50,000 years? In this far-sighted episode, Josh and Chuck explore how Earth may change over time. Listen in to learn more about humanity's odds of survival -- and how technology just might save us. Learn more about your ad-choices at https: ... Show More
33m 32s
Apr 2022
Our Mysterious Planet: Earth’s Best Kept Secrets
Can plants read our minds? What would happen if our magnetic poles… flipped? Today we’re going deeper into Earth’s mysteries, from the unexpected discoveries beneath our surface, to the “Wood Wide Web,” to what’s at stake when isolated indigenous groups lose their homes. Learn mo ... Show More
47m 23s
May 2011
Can the sun kill you?
Could the sun, typically known for providing light and warmth, kill us? The Apollo 17 mission almost resulted in tragedy due to a mega-flare -- and astronauts aren't the only ones at risk. Join Josh and Chuck to learn more about the sun. Learn more about your ad-choices at https: ... Show More
32m 52s
Aug 2021
From the Vault: Astronomical Suffering and the Terran Diaspora
For many futurists, the long term survival of humanity depends on its ability to become a true interplanetary and even interstellar species. But what is the potential moral cost of such a great technological and cultural leap forward? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, R ... Show More
1h 5m
Aug 2015
How Earth-Like Planets Work
Since the Kepler telescope went online, astronomers have found there may be an estimate 40 billion planets like Earth in the Milky Way galaxy alone. What does it take for a planet to be considered Earth-like? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.co ... Show More
31m 37s
Nov 2021
Can Tech Save the Literal World? (with Jamie Margolin)
Baratunde connects with Gen-Z author and climate activist Jamie Margolin, to see how this next generation is using tech to save the planet. He was surprised more than once by this 19-year-old’s perspective. She is the founder of This Is Zero Hour, an intersectional movement of yo ... Show More
39m 44s
Oct 2021
Selects: Will We Find Evidence of Aliens by Their Engineering Projects?
In 1960 physicist Freeman Dyson suggested that in the hunt for alien life, we should search for evidence of massive engineering projects that encapsulate stars with solar arrays to harness their energy. Could we humans ever make one ourselves? Find out in this classic episode. Le ... Show More
45m 2s
Oct 2018
How to cool the planet with a fake volcano
When volcanoes erupt, they spray particles into the atmosphere that cool the planet for a bit. As we get closer and closer to truly catastrophic global warming, more and more scientists are wondering whether a similar approach, called solar geoengineering, could be necessary. If ... Show More
23m 58s
Feb 2024
When The Sun Erupts
We are at the height of the Sun's activity in its eleven year cycle, known to astronomers as the solar maximum. This means that over the next several months there's going to be a lot of solar activity. It's got us thinking back to 1859. That's when astronomer Richard Carrington w ... Show More
12m 15s
Nov 2017
When will the Earth become uninhabitable?
Earth is our home, but how much longer can it remain so? In this episode of the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast, Robert and Christian explore the many threats to terrestrial habitability, from the cosmically distant to the frighteningly close at hand. Learn more about your ad-cho ... Show More
1h 2m